ILLINOIS 


State  Geological  Survey 


BULLETIN  NO.   16. 


Year-Book  for  1909 

FRANK  W.  DeWOLF, 
ACTING   DIRECTOR. 


Urbana 

University  of  Illinois 

i9ig 


Springfield,  III. 

Illinois  State  Journal  Co.,  State  Printers 

1910 


STATE  GEOLOGICAL  COMMISSION. 


Governor  C.  S.  Deneen,  Chairman. 
Professor  T.  C.  Chamberlin",  Vice-Chairman. 
President  Edmund  J.  James,  Secretary. 


Frank  W.  De  Wolf,  Acting  Director. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Page. 

List  of  illustrations 7 

Letter  of  transmittal : 9 

Administrative  report  for  1909;|  by  F.  W.  DeWolf 10 

Elizabeth  sheet  of  the  lead  and  zinc  district;  by  G.  H.  Cox 24 

Oil  resources  of  Illinois;  by  R.  S.  tilatchley 42 

Studies  of  Illinois  coal 177 

Introduction;  by  F.  W.  DeWolf 178 

The  Illinois  coal  field;  by  A.  Bement 182 

The  chemical  composition  of  Illinois  coal;  by  S.  W.  Parr .' 203 

The  geology  and  coal  resources  of  the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle;  by  G.  H.  Cady 242 

The  geology  and  coal  resources  of  the  Herrin  quadrangle;  by  T.  E.  Savage 266 

The  geology  and  coal  resources  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle;  by  E.  W.  Shaw 286 

Review  of  mine  rescue  work  in  Illinois;  by  R.  Y.  Williams 295 

Diamond  drill  core  from  Franklin  County;  by  Jon  Udden 300 

Faunal  succession  and  correlation  of  the  pre-Devonian  formations  of  Southern  Illinois;  by  T.  E. 

Savage 302 

The  occurrence  of  structural  materials  in  Illinois;  by  Jon  Udden  and  J.  E.  Todd 342 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Plates. 

Page. 

1.  Map  showing  progress  of  topograpliic  surveys 18 

2.  The  Elizabeth  sheet  of  the  lead  and  zinc  region Pocket 

3.  (A)  Remnants  of  terraces  formed  during  the  ice  age 26 

(B)  Bottom  lands  and  meandering  course  of  Apple  River 26 

4.  (A)  View  of  Terrapin  Ridge  showing  effect  of  country  rock  on  topography '.  28 

(B)  Exposure  of  the  Maquoketa  shale 32 

5.  (A)  Exposure  showing  the  cherty  character  of  the  Niagara  dolomite 28 

(B)  View  illustrating  the  formation  of  flats  and  pitches 32 

6.  Map  of  Illinois  showing  oil  fields,  cross-section  lines,  position  of  structural  terraces  and  of 

the  LaSalle  anticline 46 

7.  General  cross-section,  A-A,  from  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Vincennes,  Ind Pocket 

8.  General  cross-section,  B-B,  from  BellvUle  to  Equality,  111 Pocket 

9.  General  cross-section,  C-C,  from  New  Athens  to  Eldorado,  HI Pocket 

10.  General  cross-section,  D-D,  from  Marion  to  Salem,  111 Pocket 

11.  General  cross-section,  E-E,  from  Beardstown  to  the  Indiana  state  line Pocket 

12.  Marion  County  cross-section  A-A',  from  Centralia  to  Patoka 132 

13.  Marion  County  cross-section,  B-B',  along  an  east-west  line  through  the  oil  field 134 

14.  A  coal-contour  map  showing  geologic  structure  and  development  in  the  Marion  County  oU 

fields 142 

15.  Randolph  County  cross-section,  A-A',  from  Schulines  to  Coulterville 152 

16.  Randolph  County  cross-section,  B-B',  from  Tilden  to  Sparta 154 

17.  A  coal-contour  map  showing  geologic  structxire  and  development  in  the  Sparta  oil  field 

of  Randolph  County .• 156 

IS.  The  Carlinville  gas  area  an  1  cross-section,  A-B 158 

19.  ;Map  showing  area  of  principal  Illinois  coal  seams 186 

20.  Map  showing  thickness  of  Illinois  coal  seams 188 

21.  Map  designating  various  Illinois  coal  fields 200 

22.  Map  sho  .ving  relative  output  of  Illinois  coal  fields 202 

23.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  West  Frankfort  quadrangle 252 

24.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle Pocket 

25.  Ma  p  and  profiles  showing  a  s  mall  syncline  in  a  mine 256 

26.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  Herrin  quadrangle 272 

27.  (A)  Exposure  along  Orchard  Creek  of  shale  and  sandstone  of  the  LaSalle  formation 274 

(B)  Exposure  of  base  of  Petersburg  formation,  showing  Coal  No.  5  and  "  nigger-heads" 274 

28.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  Herrin  quadrangle Pocket 

29.  Photograph  of  a  small  anticlinal  arch 278 

30.  Map  showing  alternative  interpretation  of  structure  in  T.  7S.,  R.  1 W 280 

31.  Photograph  of  an  outcrop  of  Coal  No.  6  and  its  roof-shale 282 

32.  Map  showing  geologic  structtue  of  Miu-physboro  quadrangle Pocket 

33.  (A)  Photograph  of  the  Kiaimswick  limestone 310 

(B)  View  of  the  Femvale  and  Kimmswick  limestones 310 

34.  (A)  View  of  the  Thebes  sandstone 320 

(B)  View  of  the  lower  part  of  the  Thebes  sandstone 320 

35.  (A)  View  of  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  and  Thebes  sandstone 324 

(B)  Photograph  of  the  G  irardeau  limestone 324 


List  of  Illustrations — Concluded. 


Page. 

36.  (A)  View  of  the  Edgewood  beds 330 

(B)  View  of  the  Girardeau  limestone  and  overlying  Tertiary  beds 330 

37.  (A)  Photograph  of  the  Sexton  Creek,  Edgewood  and  Orchard  Creek  formations 334 

(B)  View  of  the  Sexton  Creek  limestone 334 

Figures. 

1.  Sketch  of  condition  of  oil  and  gas  accumulation  in  Marion  County 144 

2.  Sketch  of  fault  and  oil  seep  in  Marion  County 145 

3.  Diagram  showing  use  of  powder  in  Illinois  coal  mines 184 

4.  Diagram  showing  rate  of  development  of  thick  and  thin  coal  localities 191 

5.  Diagram  showing  Illinois  coal  production  from  1881  to  1908 ' 192 

6.  Apparatus  for  determining  carbon  dioxide 231 

7.  Sketch  showing  faults  in  a  mine 254 

8.  Sketch  showing  thrust  fault  in  a  mine 279 

9.  Sections  of  Coal  No.  2  showing  characteristic  parting 292 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


State  Geological  Survey. 
Univeesity  oe  Illinois,  September  24,  1910. 
Governor  C.   S.  Deneen,   Chairman,   and  Members   of   the   Geological 
Commission: 

G-entlemen — I  submit  herewith  material  forming  the  Year-Book  of 
the  Survey  for  1909,  and  recommend  that  it  be  published  as  Bulletin  No. 
16.  The  accompanying  administrative  report  completely  outlines  the 
activities  of  the  Survey,  and  the  various  papers  represent  all  phases  of 
investigations  now  under  way.  The  late  appearance  of  the  volume  is 
due  to  a  desire  to  include  and  hasten  the  distribution  of  the  accompany- 
ing oil  report.  The  same  report  accounts  for  the  unusual  size  of  the 
volume,  though  comprehensive  reviews  of  coal  investigations  and  of 
stratigraphic  research  are  partly  responsible. 

A  number  of  important  studies  requiring  much  time  of  the  Survey 
corps  are  not  presented  in  this  report,  but  several  of  these  await  the 
early  attention  of  the  printer. 

Yery  respectfully, 

Frank  W.  DeWolf, 

Acting  Director. 


ADMINISTRATIVE  REPORT  FOR  1909. 

(By  F.  W.  DeWolf,  Acting  Director.) 


Contents. 

Page. 

Introduction 11 

General 11 

Organization  and  personell 11 

Co-operation 13 

Geological  section 13 

General  stratigraphy 14 

Coal 14 

Oilanlgas 16 

Structural  materials 16 

Lead  and  zinc 17 

Ground  water 17 

Educational  bulletins 17 

Mineral  statistics 18 

Bureau  of  information 18 

Topographic  section  (by  W.  H.  Herron) 18 

Drainage  section 20 

Publications 21 

Reports 21 

Topographic  maps 21 

Expenditures '. 22 

Plate. 

Map  showing  progress  of  topographic-surveys 18 


INTEODUCTION. 


General. 


Though  final  statistics  of  the  mineral  industry  of  the  State  for  the 
year  1909  are  not  5^et  available  it  is  certain  that  the  total  value  of  the 
output  was  about  at  high-water  mark.  "  The  activities  of  the  State 
Geological  Survey  have  included  lines  of  investigation  previously  under- 
taken, besides  a  few  new  problems.  New  developments  of  coal  and  of 
oil  properties  have  increased  the  normal  calls  on  the  Survey  force,  while 
studies  of  structural  materials  and  the  work  of  the  Mine  Eescue  Station 
have  increased  the  variety  of  investigations. 

Organizatiox  axd  Persoxell. 

The  organization  of  the  Survey  has  included  three  sections,  Geologic, 
Topographic,  and  Drainage,  besides  the  Mine  Eescue  Service.  The  first 
section  was  administered  by  the  Acting  Director.  The  second  was  in 
charge  of  W.  H.  Herron,  Geographer  in  charge  of  the  Central  Section 
for  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  The  Drainage  section  was  conducted 
by  Mr.  Herron  and  the  Acting  Director.  E.  Y.  Williams  assisted  by 
J.  M.  Webb  has  been  in  charge  of  the  Mine  Eescue  Station,  under  the 
supervision  of  G.  S.  Eice  and  J.  W.  Paul  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

A  number  of  changes  were  made  in  the  Survey  corps.  Director  H. 
Foster  Bain  resigned  April  first  to  enter  private  work  and  was  succeeded 
by  F.  W.  DeWolf,  as  Acting  Director.  Shortly  afterwards  G.  E. 
Carothers  assumed  the  duties  of  Chief  Clerk,  thus  enabling  Mr.  Blatchley 
to  devote  full  time  to  oil  investigations.  Samuel  Abrams  and  Miss  Opal 
Lockwood,  clerks,  were  succeeded  by  Miss  Gertrude  O'Brien.  A.  V. 
Bleininger,  on  joining  the  U.  S.  Geological  Surve}^,  continued  to  act 
in  a  consulting  capacity  to  E.  T.  StuU  in  ceramic  investigations  under 
the  direction  of  Prof.  C.  W.  Eolfe  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  At  the 
close  of  the  year  E.  F.  Lines  and  Jon  TJdden  resigned  to  enter  private 
work.  Professors  Eolfe,  Grant,  and  Salisbury  continued  to  serve  as 
consulting  geologists  and  Professors  Parr  and  Bartow  as  consulting 
chemists.  Professors  Weller,  Savage,  and  Udden  have  served  various 
parts  of  the  year  as  geologists.  G.  H.  Cox  assumed  studies  in  the  lead 
and  zinc  district,  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  U.  S.  Grant  of  North- 
western University.  Messrs.  G.  H.  Cady,  A.  J.  Ellis,  L.  G.  Donnelly, 
and  W.  E.  Deuchler  served  as  field  assistants.  Since  the  death  of  W.  F. 
Wheeler  in  the  fall,  the  bulk  of  the  chemical  work  has  been  performed 
by  J.  M.  Lindgren  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr  of  the  Uni- 


12  YEAK-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

versity  of  Illinois.  Surveys  of  the  coal  field  were  pursued  by  E.  W. 
Shaw  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  and  investigation  of  various  miscel- 
laneous minerals  was  made  by  E.  F.  Burchard  of  the  same  organization. 
Mr.  David  White  of  the  federal  Survey  spent  a  short  time  in  the  State. 
Further  preparation  of  educational  bulletins  under  the  direction  of  Prof. 
E.  D.  Salisbury  of  the  University  of  Chicago  was  continued  by  H.  H. 
Barrows  and  A.  C.  Trowbridge.  A  number  of  other  men  served  for 
short  periods  of  time  in  the  field  and  office. 

In  the  topographic  work  the  employes  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
were  engagaed  by  the  State  under  the  imediate  direction  of  W.  H. 
Herron.  From  July  to  December  Mr.  Herron  made  headquarters  at 
Urbana  to  the  great  advantage  of  the  State  topographic  work.  He 
kindly  assisted  also  in  the  work  of  the  drainage  survey,  under  informal 
cooperation.     The  present  organization  of  the  Survey  is  as  follows : 

Commissioners. 

Governor  C,  S.  Deneen,  Chairman. 
Professor  T.  C.  Chamberlin,  Vice-Chairman. 
President  E.  J.  James,   Secretary. 

Administrative  Work. 

F.  W.  DeWolf,  Acting  Director. 

G.  E.  Carothers,  Chief  Clerk. 

Geological  Section. 

F.  W.  DeWolf,  Geologist. 

R.  D.  Salisbury,  Consulting  Geologist. 
U.  S.  Grant,  Consulting  Geologist. 
C.  W.  Rolfe,  Consulting  Geologist. 
S.  W.  Parr,  Consulting  Chemist. 
Edward  Bartow,  Consulting  Chemist. 
Stuart  Weller,  Geologist. 
T.  E.  Savage,  Geologist. 
J.  A.  Udden,  Geologist. 

G.  H.  Cox,  Assistant  Geologist. 
R.  T.  Stull,  Ceramist. 

E.  W.  Shaw,  Assistant  Geologist. 

R.  S.  Blatchley,  Assistant  Geologist. 

J.  M.  Lindgren,  Chemist. 

G.  H.  Cady,  Field  Assistant. 

J.  G.  Hutton,  Field  Assistant. 

W.  E.  Deuchler,  Field  Assistant  and  Draftsman. 

A.  J.  Ellis,  Field  Assistant. 

L.  G.  Donnelly,  Field  Assistant. 

Gertrude  O'Brien,  Clerk. 

Topographic  Section. 

W.  H.  Herron,  Geographer. 
J.  H.  Renshawe,  Geographer. 
Frank  Tweedy,  Topographer. 
J.  F.  McBeth,  Topographer. 

A.  M.  Walker,  Topographer. 

B.  A.  Jenkins,  Asst.  Topographer. 


DEWOLF]  ADMINISTRATIVE    REPORT.  13 

R.  T.  Evans,  Asst.  Topographer. 

J.  R.  Ellis,  Asst.  Topographer, 

J.    DePiiy,    Junior    Topographer. 

George  R.  Hoffman,  Junior  Topographer. 

E.  M.  Bandli,  Junior  Topographer. 

Deaixage   Section. 

W.  H.  Herron,  Georgrapher. 

W.  J.  Lloyd,  Topographer,  in  charge  of  the  Big  Muddy  River  Surveys. 

Mine  Rescue  Station. 

R.  Y.  Williams,  Mining  Engineer. 
J.  M.  Webb,  Assistant. 

Cooperation. 

As  in  previous  years  the  State  Geological  Survey  has  worked  in  close 
cooperation  with  a  number  of  other  organizations.  With  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey  there  has  been  formal  cooperation  in  the  topographic 
work,  the  study  of  the  coal  fields,  the  Mine  Eescue  Service  and  the  col- 
lection of  mineral  statistics;  and  informal  cooperation  in  the  drainage 
work  and  the  study  of  clays,  of  cement  materials,  and  of  water  resources. 
The  special  work  of  the  State  Committee  on  Water-AVays  Eeclamation 
has  continued  with  the  active  cooperation  of  the  Internal  Improvement 
Commission  and  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  The  chemical 
studies  of  coal  have  been  carried  on  as  heretofore  in  connection  with  the 
Engineering  Experiment  Station,  the  Graduate  School  and  the  Depart- 
ment of  Applied  Chemistry  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  The  arrange- 
ment covering  exchange  of  information  with  the  State  Water  Survey 
has  continued.  Augustana  College  has  furnished  office  facilities  for 
J.  A.  Udden  in  his  work  of  collecting  and  studying  drill  records  and  the 
University  of  Chicago,  for  the  men  writing  educational  bulletins. 

Acknowledgment  should  be  made  to  the  numerous  firms  and  individu- 
als who  have  supplied  the  Survey  with  drill  records  and  other  notes 
often  of  a  confidential  character.  The  response  to  our  requests  for  such 
information  has  been  everywhere  instant  and  hearty  and  the  records 
now  being  collected  and  correlated  will  be  of  the  highest  value  in  the 
difficult  task  of  working  out  the  stratigraphy  of  the  deeply  buried  por- 
tions of  our  great  coal  and  oil  fields. 


GEOLOGICAL  SECTION. 

The  administration  of  the  geological  section  of  the  Survey  has  been 
in  the  charge  of  the  Acting  Director.  The  principal  work  has  been  the 
continuation  of  stratigraphical  and  structural  studies  of  the  State,  based 
on  the  collection  of  drill  records  and  the  examination  of  outcropping 
rocks.  Special  attention  has  been  given  to  the  coal  fields,  to  oil  and 
gas  areas,  and  to  clay,  cement,  and  other  structural  materials.  In  addi- 
tion, study  of  the  Galena  zinc  and  lead  area  has  been  resumed  and  mis- 
cellaneous economic,  educational,  and  statistical  investigations  have  been 
undertaken. 


14  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  (bull.  no.  16 

General  Stratigraphy. 

The  stratigraphic  studies  of  the  year  included  the  further  collection 
of  drill  records.  Coal  borings  have  been  investigated  especially  by  the 
Acting  Director  and  Jon  Udden,  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey.  Oil  and  gas  well  records  in  great  numbers  were  secured  from 
the  main  fields  and  from  "wild-cat"  territory  by  E.  S.  Blatchley.  The 
collections  of  logs  and  drill  samples  by  J.  A.  IJdden  had  special  refer- 
ence to  water  wells  in  Northern  Illinois,  and  was  facilitated  by  a  coopera- 
tive arrangement  with  the  XJ.  S.  Geological  Survey.  Identification  and 
correlation  of  coals  and  other  important  stratigraphic  horizons  by  the 
several  workers  have  been  recorded  and  have  extended  greatly  our 
knowledge  of  the  general  geology  of  Illinois.  Several  hundred  new  drill 
records  were  collected  and  studied. 

As  before,  it  has  been  found  desirable  to  supplement  the  study  of  logs 
by  field  examination  of  outcropping  rocks  where  possible.  Stuart  Weller 
has  continued  the  detailed  investigation  of  the  Mississi-nnian  formations 
by  describing  the  fossils  which  characterize  various  sub-divisions.  He 
was  assisted  by  J.  M.  Jessup.  These  rocks  include  the  most  important 
oil  sands  of  present  fields,  besides  valuable  limestone  and  shale  forma- 
tions. T.  E.  Savage,  assisted  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  continued  similar  investi- 
gations of  the  Niagara  limestone  of  the  State.  He  also  examined 
further  the  Devonian  and  Ordovician  formation  with  the  help  of 
J.  G.  Hutton  and  completed  a  valuable  report  which  appears  in  this 
volume. 

The  Pennsylvania  ("Coal  Measures")  rocks  were  examined  in  con- 
siderable detail  along  the  western  margin  by  E.  F.  Lines.  His  work  per- 
tained especially  to  the  horizon  of  the  Cheltenham  fire  clay  between  Col- 
linsville  in  Madison  County  and  Utica  in  La  Salle  County.  The  rocks 
accompanying  important  coal  beds  were  examined  by  Jon  Udden,  G.  H. 
Cady,  and  E.  W.  Shaw.  Mr.  Shaw  also  spent  three  months  in  detailed 
mapping  of  the  geology  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle,  described  in 
this  volume.  He  was  assigned  to  the  cooperative  Illinois  work  by  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  and  was  accompanied  for  a  few  days  by  David 
White  of  that  organization,  and  Stuart  Weller  of  the  State  Survey. 

The  sand,  gravel,  and  clay  deposits  comprising  the  Pleistocene  forma- 
tions were  examined,  incidentally,  in  connection  with  a  study  of  mater- 
ials available  for  construction  of  federal  buildings.  Jon  Udden  and  J. 
E.  Todd  carried  on  the  work  under  the  direction  of  E.  F.  Burchard  of 
the.U.  S.  Geological  Survey.    Eeports  are  included  in  this  volume. 

Coal. 

Studies  of  the  Illinois  coal  field,  probably  the  greatest  bituminous 
field  in  the  country,  continue  to  occupy  first  place  in  the  work  of  the 
Survey.  The  State  produced  47,659,690  tons  in  the  calendar  year  1908. 
During  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1909,  the  output  was  49,163,710 
tons,  as  compared  to  49,272,452  tons  for  1908.  Preparation  of  an 
inventory  of  the  coal  contained  in  the  various  beds  will   of  necessity 


DEWOLF]  ADMINISTRATIVE   REPORT.  15 

continue  through  many  3^ears  of  prospecting  and  development.  The 
Survey  plans  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  such  operations  so  as  to  main- 
tain up-to-date  information. 

The  year's  coal  work  was  under  the  personal  supervision  of  the  Acting 
Director,  and  included  the  collection  of  drill  records  and  the  general 
correlation  of  the  coals  in  the  55  counties  in  which  mines  are  located. 
Certain  areas  of  southern  Illinois  were  surveyed  in  detail.  At  the  same 
time  laboratory  studies  of  face-samples  were  continued,  with  special  ref- 
erence to  heating  value  and  to  variation  in  composition  of  the  ash.  The 
work  of  the  Mine  Rescue  Station,  maintained  in  cooperation  with  the 
Universit}',  and  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  has  been  of  unexpected 
value  and  has  resulted  in  legislation  for  the  expansion  of  the  work 
under  State  auspices. 

All  parts  of  the  coal  fields  were  examined  and  coal  samples  were 
collected  by  members  of  the  Survey.  Much  of  the  work  was  cooperative, 
and  Jon  Udden,  G.  H.  Cad}^,  E.  W.  Shaw,  and  E.  F.  Lines  were  the  spe- 
cial contributors.  Valuable  data  were  obtained  from  new  development 
work  in  Mercer,  Franklin,  Madison,  Bond,  and  Vermilion  counties.  A  new 
general  report  on  the  coal  fields  was  nearly  completed.  Detailed  surveys 
of  West  Frankfort,  Herrin,  and  Murphysboro  quadrangles  were  completed 
by  Messrs.  Cady,  Savage,  and  Shaw,  respectively,  and  preliminary 
reports  were  prepared  for  this  volume.  New  topographic  maps  were 
completed  of  the  La  Salle-Hennepin  quadrangles,  for  use  in  1910. 
Jon  Udden  was  especially  engaged  on  general  correlation,  while  E.  F. 
Lines  traced  coals  Nos.  1  and  2  through  the  western  counties. 

Chemical  studies  of  coal  samples  and  experiments  with  weathering 
and  spontaneous  combustion  have  continued  in  cooperation  with  the  De- 
partment of  Applied  Chemistry  and  the  Engineering  Experiment  Sta- 
tion of  the  University  of  Illinois.  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr  has  directed  the 
work  and  has  been  assisted  by  J.  M.  Lindgren  and  W.  F.  Wheeler.  Ee- 
sults  of  certain  phases  of  the  work  have  recently  been  published.^ 
Other  summaries,  including  the  analyses  of  250  samples,  appear  in  this 
volume,  and  comprise  an  unprecedented  undertaking  in  coal  analyses 
from  a  single  state. 

The  Mine  Eescue  Station,  established  in  March,  1909,  at  the  Illinois 
Fuel  Conference,  has  been  maintained  throughout  the  year  under  the  im- 
mediate charge  of  R.  Y.  Williams,  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  assist- 
ed by  J.  M.  Webb.  The  proceedings  of  the  conference  and  purposes  of 
the  station  were  described  in  detail  in  the  preceding  Year-Book.^ 

A  summary  of  the  work  of  training  with  oxygen  helmets  and  other 
appliances  accompanies  this  report.  The  work  of  the  corps  at  the  Cherry 
disaster  and  at  other  mines  was  so  successful  that  the  State  has  now 
provided  amply  for  the  establishment  of  stations  in  the  northern,  central, 
and  southern  coal  fields.     In   addition  to   rescue   demonstrations,   Mr. 


iParr,  S.  W.  and  Wheeler,  W.  F.,  Unit  coal  and  the  composition  of  coal  ash:  Bull.    EngineeringlEx- 
periment  Station,  No.  37,  1909. 

Parr,  S.  W.  and  Wheeler,  W.  F,,  The  weathering  of  coal:  Bull.   Engineering  Experiment  Station, 
series  of  1909,  No.  38,  1909. 

^Proceedings  of  the  Illinois  Fuel  Conference:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  14, 1909,  pp.  296-379. 


16  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Williams  has  carried  on  studies  of  humidity  and  other  possible  factors, 
which  may  influence  mine  explosions^,  and  has  also  collected  data  regard- 
ing mining  methods  and  wastes. 

Oil  and  Gas. 

The  Illinois  oil  fields  yielded  30,898,339  barrels  in  1909  as  compared 
with  33,685,106  barrels  in  1908.  The  growth  of  the  main  field  of 
eastern  Illinois  and  the  oil  discovery  in  Marion  County  and  in  less 
important  areas  has  notably  increased  the  field  for  Survey  studies.  The 
work  has  engaged  the  full  time  of  E.  S.  Blatchley,  besides  considerable 
attention  of  the  Acting  Director  and  of  temporary  assistants. 

Early  in  the  season,  Mr.  Blatchley  assisted  by  W.  E.  Deuchler  and 
Douglas  Wright  prepared  field  maps  and  determined  elevations  of  1,500 
new  wells  in  the  lower  deep  field  of  the  Lawrence  County  area.  Eecords 
were  kindly  furnished  by  the  operators.  The  Hardinville  topographic 
map,  covering  much  of  the  field,  was  completed,  and  work  on  a  thorough 
report  of  the  region  was  continued.  The  discovery  of  the  field  in 
central  Illinois  between  Centralia  and  Sandoval  invited  attention,  and  it 
was  thought  best  to  defer  the  main  report  and  to  precede  it  with  a  pre- 
liminary article  on  scattered  drilling  tliroughout  the  State.  Consequent- 
ly, Mr.  Blatchley  made  a  thorough  collection  of  records,  running  levels 
where  necessary,  and  prepared  the  report  found  in  this  volume.  This 
timely  description  of  the  geology  of  the  State  as  affecting  oil  accumula- 
tion will  be  welcome  to  operators,  drillers,  and  to  citizens  in  general. 
The  most  promising  areas  for  future  prospecting  are  discussed  in  an 
effort  to  stimulate  their  development  and  to  check  drilling  in  other 
localities  where  conditions  are  less  favorable.  Close  touch  with  opera- 
tions will  be  continued,  and  cooperation  invited. 

Structural  Materials. 

During  the  past  year  attention  has  been  devoted  to  studies  of  cement 
materials,  fire  clay,  brick-clay,  stone,  gravel,  and  sand.  The  report  on 
cement  materials  by  A.  V.  Bleininger  and  E.  E.  Lines  is  now  finished 
and  ready  for  printing.  It  includes  results  of  tests  of  raw  material 
available  in  various  localities,  an  outline  of  the  best  processes  of  manu- 
facture, and  descriptions  of  plants  operated  in  Illinois. 

The  Cheltenham  fire  clay  which  is  already  the  basis  for  a  large  indus- 
try in  western  Illinois,  as  well  as  in  the  St.  Louis  district,  has  been 
investigated  during  the  last  season.  Mr.  E.  F.  Lines  traversed  the  out- 
crop from  Collinsville  to  Utica  and  selected  samples  at  those  localities 
which  offer  best  advantages  for  exploitation.  Thorough  tests  are  being 
conducted  by  the  Ceramics  Department  of  the  University.  A  report 
on  the  stratigraphic  and  economic  occurrence  of  the  clay  has  been  pre- 
pared and  will  be  combined  with  a  report  by  R.  T.  Stull  or  A.  V.  Blein- 
inger, on  the  practical  working  qualities  of  the  clays  sampled. 


DE  WOLF] 


ADMINISTRATIVE    REPORT.  17 


A  study  of  structural  materials  available  for  federal  buildings  was 
carried  on  during  the  summer  by  the  technologic  branch  of  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey.  Cooperation  was  adopted  and  Jon  Udden  of  the  State 
Survey  was  assigned  to  work  with  E.  F.  Burchard  and  J.  E.  Todd. 
Examinations  were  made  at  localities  in  ten  counties  and  samples  were 
collected  for  tests  at  the  Pittsburg  laboratory.  In  advance  of  reports 
of  tests  the  field  observations  are  presented  in  this  volume.  In  them- 
selves, they  are  valuable  contributions  to  our  knowledge  of  Pleistocene 
deposits  and  to  quarry  products.  We  are,  however,  far  from  having  an 
accurate  inventory  of  our  resources  of  building  materials. 

Lead  axd  Zinc. 

The  study  of  the  lead  and  zinc  of  northwestern  Illinois,  which  resulted 
in  the  report  on  the  Millbrig  area^  in  1907,  was  continued  under  the  direc- 
tion of  tr.  S.  Grant  by  G.  H.  Cox.  Plans  provided  for  a  detailed  geo- 
logic and  topographic  survey  of  the  mining  regions  around  Galena  and 
Elizabeth,  on  a  scale  of  4  inches  to  the  mile.  Mr.  Cox  was  assisted  by 
W.  E.  Deuchler  and  Douglas  Wright.  The  Elizabeth  area,  covering 
6  square  miles,  was  completed  and  is  described  in  this  volume.  The 
topographic  map  of  the  Galena  area,  including  20  square  miles,  was 
completed  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  and  will  be 
available  for  geological  studies  in  1910. 

Ground  Water. 

Under  a  cooperative  arrangement  made  in  1906  between  State  and 
Federal  bureaus  a  bulletin  on  surface  waters  has  recentlv  been  pub- 
lished^  This,  together  with  previous  reports  of  the  Geological  Survey 
and  of  the  State  Water  Surve}'',  constitute  valuable  contributions  to 
a  subject  of  growing  importance. 

The  Survey,  meanwhile,  is  continuing  special  studies  of  records  of 
water  wells- and  of  water-bearing  beds.  J.  A.  Udden  is  in  charge  of 
the  work  for  the  State  and  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  in  cooperation. 

Educational  Bulletins. 

The  preparation  of  educational  bulletins  under  the  direction  of  Prof. 
E.  D.  Salisbury  of  the  University  of  Chicago  included  the  completion 
of  Bulletins  11,  13,  and  13  and  the  field  work  on  one  new  area,  the  Kas- 
kaskia  Eiver  valley.  Bulletin  11,  The  Physical  features  of  the  Des 
Plaines  Valley,  by  Dr.  James  Walter  Goldthwait,  was  distributed  early 
in  the  year.  Bulletin  12,  Physiography  of  the  St.  Louis  area,  by  Dr. 
N.  M.  Fenneman,  and  Bulletin  13,  The  Mississippi  Valley  between  Sa- 
vanna and  Davenport,  by  J.  Ernest  Carman,  were  sent  to  the  printer.^ 


iGrant,  U.  S.,  and  Perdue,  M.  J.,  Millbrig  sheet  of  the  lead  and  zinc  district  of  northwestern  lUinois: 
Bull.  111.  Geol.  Survey,  No.  8,  1907,  pp.  335-343. 
^Surface  waters  of  Illinois:    Bull.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  No.  239. 
3  Published  early  in  1910 

—2  G 


18  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

A  new  bulletin.  The  geography  of  the  middle  Illinois  Valley,  by  H.  H. 
Barrows^  and  a  bulletin  by  A.  C.  Trowbridge  on  the  Wheaton  area  arc 
practically  completed.  Studies  of  the  physiography  of  the  Kaskaskia 
Valley  were  made  during  the  summer  by  L.  G.  Donnelly.  This  will  have 
a  wide  usefulness  among  students  and  citizens  of  this  district  where  large 
drainage  projects  are  being  planned.  The  educational  series  is  meeting 
with  great  demand  from  teachers,  students,  and  other  people  of  the 
State.     All  are  fully  illustrated  with  maps,  drawings,  and  photographs. 

Mineral  Statistics. 

The  collection  of  mineral  statistics  formerly  made  in  cooperation 
with  the  IT.  S.  Geological  Survey  was  suspended  for  the  year  1909 
because  the  Census  Bureau  was  engaged  in  a  thorough  investigation, 
and  duplication  of  work  was  not  desirable.  Complete  results  are  not 
yet  available. 

Bureau  of  Information. 

The  Survey  maintains  a  bureau  of  information  for  the  convenience 
of  inquirers  about  mineral  resources  of  Illinois.  Bequests  are  received 
in  great  numbers  both  from  inside  and  outside  the  State.  When  possi- 
ble, a  bulletin  containing  the  desired  information  is  mailed.  Frequently, 
however,  it  is  necessary  to  make  special  study  and  to  reply  by  letter 
at  some  length.  Many  requests  for  the  identification  of  minerals  are 
received  and  answered  promptly;  other  for  analysis  of  specimens  are, 
for  the  most  part,  necessarily  refused.  It  has  been  found  that  the  col- 
lection of  a  representative  sample  of  a  material,  and  the  investigation  of 
its  favorable  occurrence  for  development,  is  quite  as  essential  and  re- 
quires expert  advice,  just  as  does  chemical  analysis.  As  a  rule,  there- 
fore, unless  a  representative  of  the  Survey  investigates  and  samples  a 
mineral  deposit,  an  analysis  at  public  expense  is  not  justified,  particu- 
larly because  otherwise  Survey  funds  would  be  seriously  depleted  by 
work  which  frequently  is  of  no  permanent  value.  Preliminary  exam- 
inations and  opinions  as  to  probable  value  of  minerals,  are  always  cheer- 
fully given. 


TOPOGEAPHIC  SECTION. 

(By  W.  H.  Hereon,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey-) 

Cooperative  topographic  surveys  in  Illinois  during  the  season  of  1909 
were  continued  under  the  immediate  direction  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Herron, 
Geographer,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  all  such  work  of  that  Survey  being 
under  the  general  supervision  of  Mr.  K.  B.  Marshall,  Chief  Geographer. 

From  the  accompan3dng  progress  map  (PL  1)  it  will  be  seen  that  topo- 
graphic work  was  confined  largely  to  the  northern  part  of  the  State, 
while  preliminary  work  for  future  mapping  was  more  generally  dis- 
tributed. 


Published  early  in  1910. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY, 


BULL.  X(\  hi,   PLATE  L 


Map  showing  progi-ess  of  topographic  surveys. 


DE   \VOLF] 


ADMINISTRATIVE    REPORT. 


19 


The  following  table  gives  a  summary  of  results  accomplished  from 
June  1  to  December  31,  1909 : 


Table  Showing  Progress  of  Topographic  Msipping. 


Locality— Quadrangles . 


1 

ai 

^ 

•S 

tj 

1 

mapped- 
are  miles. 

1 

> 

03 

1 

Is 

^  3 

i^ 

II 

11 

< 

Ph 

^ 

M 

Pa 

Co 

c  S 

o3  3 

S  I 


Stockton 

Galena 

Hennepin . . . 

LaSalle 

New  Athens. 
Bridgeport . . 

Lincoln 

Canton 

Milan 

Macomb 

Havana 

Vermont 

Colchester . . . 

Carthage 

Keokuk 

Waterloo 

Crj'stalCity. 

Renault 

Sparta 

Kimmswick. 


221 
184 
224 
224 
234 


598 

10 

311 

188 

104 

47 

41 


25 


Totals. 


1,087 


246 


353 


434 
382 
421 


91 


1,237 


Mr.  Frank  Tweedy,  topographer,  was  in  general  charge  of  the  map- 
ping of  the  Galena  and  Stockton  quadrangles,  in  Jo  Daviess  Count}', 
in  which  work  he  had  the  following  assistants:  B.  A.  Jenkins,  ass't 
topographer;  Geo.  E.  Hoffman,  junior  topographer;  Terry  Hacketc, 
secondary  levelman;  J.  M.  Aiken,  H.  E.  Toby,  and  C.  H.  Hughes, 
rodmen. 

In  the  northern  central  part  of  the  State,  in  Bureau,  LaSalle,  and 
Putnam  counties,  E.  T.  Evans,  ass't  topographer,  completed  the  sur- 
vey of  the  south  half  of  the  Hennepin  and  LaSalle  quadrangles;  the 
north  half  of  the  former  being  done  by  J.  H.  Eenshawe,  geographer, 
and  the  latter  half  by  A.  M.  Walker,  topographer,  assisted  by  Jay  DePuy, 
junior  topographer.  Secondary  levels  in  these  two  areas  were  run  by 
W.  S.  S.  Johnson,  junior  topographer,  assisted  by  W.  H.  Holmes,  rod- 
man. 

The  only  quadrangle  mapped  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  was 
the  Xew  Athens,  in  St.  Clair  and  Monroe  counties,  this  work  being 
done  by  J.  F.  McBeth,  topographer. 

Primar}'  traverse  was  carried  through  portions  of  Monroe,  St.  Clair, 
Eandolph,  Washington,  Perry,  and  Logan  counties,  by  J.  E.  Ellis,  ass't 
topographer,  assisted  by  M.  T.  Evenson,  recorder;  ]^.  Underwood  and 
M.  H.  LTnderwood,  chainmen;  and  N.  M.  Shepard,  rodman.  Secondary 
traverse  was  carried  through  this  same  area,  as  well  as  through  Law- 
rence, Edwards,  Eichland,  and  Wabash  counties,  by  E.  C.  Seitz,  junior 
topographer. 


20  YEAR  BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Primary  levels  were  carried  through  portions  of  Fulton,  Hancock, 
McDonough,  Schuyler,  and  Logan  counties  by  E.  M.  Bandli,  junior 
topographer,  assisted  by  Percy  Kimmel,  rodman;  and  through  Eock 
Island  and  Mercer  counties  by  G.  E.  Heebink,  junior  topographer,  assist- 
ed by  W.  H.  Phelps,  rodman. 

At  the  end  of  the  field  season  the  survey  of  the  Stockton,  Hennepin, 
LaSalle,  New  Athens,  and  the  Illinois  portion  of  the  Galena  quadrangle, 
had  been  completed,  and  the  office  drawing  on  these  sheets  was  in 
progress,  preparatory  to  engraving.  Preliminary  work  had  also  been 
finished  on  the  Bridgeport,  Lincoln,  and  Waterloo  quadrangles  making 
them  ready  for  the  final  sketching. 


DEAINAGE  SECTION. 

The  special  drainage  section  of  the  Survey,  organized  in  1907,  was 
maintained  under  a  new  appropriation.  Work  has  continued  in  cooper- 
ation with  the  Internal  Improvement  Commission,  the  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  and  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  Of  the  projects 
already  undertaken,  the  maps  of  the  Kaskaskia  Eiver  and  Shoal  Creek 
were  completed  and  turned  over  to  the  Internal  Improvement  Commis- 
sion for  the  preparation  of  reclamation  plans.  The  Big  Muddy  Eiver 
surveys  were  drafted  for  publication. 

A  report  on  the  Little  Wabash  and  Skillet  Fork  Elvers,  surveyed  by 
the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  in  1907  and  1908,  was  received 
early  in  1910  and  will  be  published  by  the  Illinois  Internal  Improvement 
Commission.  It  includes  maps,  profiles,  and  plans  for  drainage  projects. 
In  general,  the  investigation  shows  that  the  present  channels  are  wholly 
inadequate  to  carry  the  run-off  necessary  to  prevent  overflow  of  the  bot- 
toms. The  major  part  of  the  work  recommended  is  the  construction  of 
levees;  in  all,  11  on  the  Little  Wabash,  and  7  on  Skillet  Fork. 

New  work  on  several  Illinois  streams  has  been  urged  by  interested 
citizens.  In  order  to  select  the  areas  which  deserve  first  attention  the 
Acting  Director  and  W.  H.  Herron  and  Eobert  I.  Eandolph  made  pre- 
liminary examinations  of  the  Little  Wabash  and  Skillet  Fork  areas. 
The  same  party,  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Eandolph,  examined  the  Sanga- 
mon, Saline,  Spoon,  Embarrass,  Eock,  and  Green  rivers  and  conferred 
with  local  engineers.  The  plans  adopted  for  1910  include  surveys  of 
the  lower  portions  of  the  Embarrass  and  Spoon  rivers,  where  extensive 
bottom  lands  are  overflowed  annually  and  where  local  projects  warrant 
State  examination  and  recommendations.  As  before,  topographic 
drainage  maps  will  be  prepared  by  engineers  secured  from  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey,  under  the  direction  of  W.  H.  Herron.  Stream  gaging 
on  the  rivers  already  under  study  and  in  the  new  localities  will  be  con- 
tinued by  the  Internal  Improvement  Commission. 


DE  WOLF]  ADMINISTRATIVE    REPORT.  21 

PUBLICATIONS. 
Eeports. 

Early  in  the  year  Bulletin  Xo.  9,  Paving  brick  and  paving  brick  clays 
of  Illinois,  by  Messrs.  Eolfe,  Purdy,  Talbot,  and  Baker  was  published. 
This  was  followed  shortly  by  Bulletin  No.  10,  Mineral  content  of  Illi- 
nois waters,  by  Messrs.  Bartow,  Udden,  Parr,  and  Palmer ;  and  by  Bulle- 
tin No.  11,  Physical  features  of  the  Des  Plaines  Valley.  Eeports  wait- 
ing the  early  attention  of  the  printer  were :  Bulletin  No.  12,  Physi- 
agraphy  of  the  St.  Louis  area ;  Bulletin  No.  13,  The  Mississippi  Valley 
between  Savanna  and  Davenport ;  and  the  Year  Book  for  1908,  Bulletin 
No.  14. 

Other  reports  under  way  and  available  for  printing  in  the  near  future 
included: 

Geography  of  the  middle  Illinois  Valley,  by  H.  H.  Barrows, 

Year  Book  for  1909,  by  F.  W.  DeWolf. 

Cement  materials  and  industry  of  Illinois,  by  A.  V.  Bleininger  and  others. 

Geology  and  geography  of  the  Wheaton  quadrangle,  by  A.  C.  Trowbridge. 

Physiography  of  the  i<:askaskia  Valley,  by  L.  G.  Donnelly. 

Detailed  reports  submitted  to  the  IT.  S.  Geological  Survey  for  publi- 
cation in  cooperation,  and  not  yet  issued  include: 

Geology  and  mineral  resources  of  the  St.  Louis-East  St.  Louis  quadrangles, 
by  N.  M.  Fenneman. 

Geology  and  mineral  resources  of  the  Peoria  quadrangle,  by  J.  A.  Udden. 

Other  reports  which  will  be  submitted  shortly  are: 

Geology  and  mineral  resources  of  the  Springfield  quadrangle,  by  T.  E. 
Savage. 

Geology  and  mineral  resources  of  the  Belleville-Breese  quadrangles,  by 
J.  A.  Udden. 

A  full  list  of  St^te  publications  available  for  publication  is  given  on 
the  last  pages  of  this  volume. 

The  distribution  of  these  reports  so  as  to  prevent  waste,  and  yet  make 
them  most  widely  available,  has  been  in  itself  a  considerable  task.  It 
was  thought  that  the  interests  of  all  concerned  would  be  best  met  if  500 
copies  of  each  report  be  reserved  for  sale  at  the  cost  of  printing,  the  re- 
ceipts from  the  sales  being  turned  into  the  State  treasury.  This  makes 
it  possible  for  libraries  to  complete  their  sets  and  for  persons  having 
real  need  for  any  of  the  volumes  to  obtain  the  earlier  ones  at  small 
cost.  The  remainder  of  the  edition  is  distributed  by  the  Survey  and  the 
Secretary  of  State  to  institutions  and  individuals  making  application 
for  them  or  exchanged  with  other  Surveys  or  publishing  organizations. 

Any  of  the  published  reports  will  be  sent  upon  receipt  of  the  amount 
noted.  Money  orders,  drafts  and  checks  should  be  made  payable  to 
F.  W.  DeWolf,  Acting' Director. 

Topographic  Maps. 

The  accompanying  illustration  (PI.  1)  shows  the  areas  for  which 
topographic  maps  have  been  prepared  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Geo- 
logical Survey.  Those  already  published  may  be  obtained  from  this 
office  by  remitting  5  cents  for  each  copy. 


22 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


As  the  maps  do  not  conform  to  county  lines  those  desired  should  be 
ordered  by  name. 

The  topographic  maps  are  distributed  also  from  Washington.  They 
may  be  purchased  at  the  rate  of  5  cents  each  or  $3.00  a  hundred.  Drafts 
or  money  orders  should  be  sent  to  the  Director,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey, 
Washington,  D.  C.  He  is  not  allowed  to  receive  postage  stamps  or 
personal  checks  in  payment. 


EXPENDITURES. 

The  legislature  in  1909  appropriated  for  the  State  Geological  Commis> 
sion  for  the  new  biennium  as  follows : 

For  the  support  and  extension  of  the  Survey,  $25,000  per  annum. 

For  making  a  survey  of  overflowed  lands,  $7,500. 

For  preparing  an  engraving  illustrations  and  maps,  and  for  printing 
and  binding,  $2,500  per  annum. 

It  has  been  the  rule  to  allot  $10,000  annually  to  topographic  surveys 
from  the  general  fund  to  meet  an  equal  amount  furnished  by  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  year  1908^  were  as  follows : 


General  appropriation — 

Balance  on  hand  Jan.  1,  1908 

Appropriation  July  1, 1908      .  .  . 

$  5,306  73 
25,000  00 

Total  available 

$30,306  73 

Expenditures  Jan.  1, 1908,  to  Jan.  1, 1909— 
Salary  and  expenses  of  director        

$3,827  33 

2,519  77 

4,  789  58 

635  24 

544  26 

969  78 

1,731  24 

835  13 

582  31 

135  00 

144  20 

1,188  01 

380  65 

5,689  64 

Clerical  help  and  general  office  expenses    

Surveys  and  laboratory  studies  of  coal  fields ' . . 

Surveys  of  clay  deposits 

Studies  of  cement  materials 

Surveys  of  oil  fields 

General  stratigraphic  studies 

Educational  series .   . 

Water  resources 

Mineral  statistics 

Special  studies 

Printing  expenses     

Miscellaneous 

Topographic  sur\^eys 

Total        .  . 

23,972  U 

Balance  available  Jan.  1, 1909 

$  6,334  59 

Special  appropriation  for  survey  and  study  of  overflowed  lands- 
Balance  on  hand  Jan.  1, 1908    -.  .  ..        .  .  . 

$10,484  92 
9,621  4& 

Expended  in  1908 

Balance  available  Jan.  1, 1909 

$863  4S 

'Includes  some  corrections  from  statement  on  page  27,  Bull.  No.  14. 


DE  WOLF]  ADMiyiSTRATIVE    EEPORT.  23 

The  total  expenditures  for  the  year  1909   were  as  follows: 


GeBeral  appropriation- 
Balance  on  hand  Jan.  1, 1909. 
Appropriation  July  1,  1909 . . . 


Total  available . 


Expenditures  Jan.  1, 1909  to  Jan.  1,  1910— 

Salary  and  expenses  of  director 

Clerical  help  and  general  office  expenses. 

Printing 

General  stratigraphic  studies 

Co-operative  geology 

Surveys  of  clay  deposits 

Surveys  of  oil  fields 

Water  resources 

Studies  of  cement  materials 

Chemical  work  on  coals 

Miscellaneous 

Statistics 

Studies  of  lead  and  zinc  field 

Educational  series 

Bulletin  postage 

Topographic  surveys 


Balance  available  Jan.  1, 1910. 


Special  appropriation  for  survey  and  study  of  overflowed  lands — 

Balance  on  hand  Jan.  1, 1909 

Appropriation  July  1;  1909 , 


Total  available 

Expended  Jan.  1, 1909  to  Jan.  1, 1910. 

Balance  available  Jan.  1, 1910  ... 


Preparation  of  illustrations  and  printing- 
Appropriation  July  1, 1909 

Expended  Jan.  1, 1909  to  Jan.  1, 1910. 

Balance  available  Jan.  1, 1910 


863  46; 

,.500  00 


$2,500  00! 
1,061  21 


?31,334  59 


25, 109  OS 
$6,225  51 


$8,363  46 
845  18 


$7,518  28 


SI,  438 


24  YEAE-BUOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


ELIZABETH  SHEET  OF  THE  LEAD  AND  ZINC 
DISTRICT  OF  NORTHERN  ILLINOIS. 

(By  G.  H.  Cox.) 


Contents. 

Page  . 

Introduction 25 

History 26 

Topography 26 

Geology • 28 

Potsdam  sandstone 28 

Lower  Magnesian  limestone 28 

St.  Peter  sandstone 29 

Platteville  limestone 29 

Galena  dolomite 29 

Maquoketa  shale 30 

Niagara  dolomite 30 

Mining  operations 31 

Ranges  listed 31 

Mines 32 

Wishon  mine 32 

Skene  mine 32 

Illinois  mine 33 

Kansas  mine 33 

Bill  Bums  level 33 

Empire  mine 34 

Elizabeth  Mining  &  Developing  Co 34 

Haggerty  Mining  &  Developing  Co 34 

Other  mines  and  prospects 34 

Relation  of  deposits  to  structural  features 35 

Origin  of  the  ores 36 

Objections  to  Bain's  theory 37 

Summary 39 

Prospecting 39 

Future  mining 40 

Plates. 

2.  The  Elizabeth  sheet  of  the  lead  and  zinc  region Pocket 

3.  (A)  Remnants  of  terraces  formed  during  the  ice  age 26 

(B)  Bottom  lands  and  meandering  course  of  Apple  River 26 

4.  (A)  View  of  Terrapin  Ridge  showing  effect  of  covmtry  rock  on  topography 32 

(B)  Exposure  of  the  Maquoketa  shale 28 

5.  (A)  Exposure  showing  the  cherty  character  of  the  Niagara  dolomite 28 

(B)  View  illustrating  the  formation  of  flats  and  pitches 32 


cox]  THE   ELIZABETH    AREA.  ^5 


INTEODUCTION. 

The  area  covered  by  the  map  accompanying  this  report  consists  if 
sees.  13,  14,  23,  and  24,  T.  27  N.,  E.  2  E.,  and  sees.  18  and  19,  T.  27  N., 
E.  3  E.,  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian.  It  lies  within  the  county  of 
Jo  Daviess,  includes  parts  of  the  townships  of  Elizabeth  and  AVoodbino, 
and  the  town  of  Elizabeth.  The  area  was  selected  so  as  include  as  far 
as  possible  the  main  rnining  areas  and,  at  the  same  time,  form  a  sheet 
of  suitable  shape  for  publication. 

This  work  was  undertaken  in  pursuance  of  the  plan  of  the  Survey  to 
map  as  fast  as  possible  those  districts  whose  mineral  resources  are  of  suf- 
ficient importance  to  warrant  the  expense.  A  report  covering  the  vicinity 
of  j\[illbrig^  has  already  been  published  and  it  is  expected  that  this  pres- 
ent work  wall  be  followed  soon  by  the  publication  of  a  special  sheet  for 
the  area  about  Galena. 

This  area  is  part  of  the  lead  and  zinc  district  of  northwestern  Illinois, 
which  with  southwestern  Wisconsin  and  eastern  Iowa  constitutes  the 
upper  Mississippi  Valley  lead  and  zinc  district.  The  ore  deposits  and 
the  rock  formations  have  many  characteristics  that  are  common  through- 
out the  major  district,  so  that  the  description  of  any  portion  is  more  or 
less  applicable  to  all  the  other  parts.  Consequently  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  following  publications  for  such  information  as  may  be  lack- 
ing in  this  article. 

United   States  Geological   Survey^: 

Bain,  H.  F.,  Zinc  and  lead  deposits  of  northwestern  Illinois:     Bull.  No. 

246,  1905,  55  pp. 
Bain,   H.  P.,  Lead   and   zinc   deposits   of  the   upper  Mississippi   Valley: 

Bull.  No.  249,  1906,  XI  and  155  pp.,  16  pi. 
Grant,  U.   S.,   and  Burchard,  E.   F.,  Description   of  the  Lancaster   and 

Mineral    Point   quadrangles;    Geologic    folio   No.    145,    1907,    14    pp., 

4  maps. 
Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History   Survey^: 

Chamberlin,  T.  C.,  The  ore  deposits  of  southwestern  Wisconsin:   Geology 

of  Wisconsin,  Vol.  IV,  1882,  pp.  365-371. 
Grant,  U.  S.,  Report  on  the  lead  and  zinc  deposits  of  Wisconsin,  with 

an  atlas  of  detailed  maps;    Bull.  No.  XIV,  1906,  X  and  100  pp.,  26 

pis.,  18  atlas  sheets. 


1  Grant,  U.  S.  and  Perdue,  M.  J.,  Millbrig  sheet  of  the  lead  and  zinc  district  of  northern  Illinois:  Bull  • 
State  Geol.  Survey,  No.  8,  1907,  pp.  335-343. 

^The  first  two  publications  may  be  obtained  free  of  charge  from  the  Director,  United  States  Geol.  Sur- 
vey, Washington,  D.  C,  or  from  your  Senator  or  Eepresentative.  A  charge  of  25  cents  is  made  for  folio 
No.  145. 

='0f  the  reports  by  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  the  first,  by  Chamberlin,  is  out  of  print.  The  second,  by 
Grant ,  contains  a  complete  bibliography  of  the  lead  and  zinc  publications  up  to  the  time  of  its  publication, 
and  can  be  obtained  at  the  cost  of  postage  from  the  Director  of  the  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural 
History  Survey,  Madison,  Wisconsin. 


26  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

HISTOKY. 

The  first  mining  in  this  vicinity  was  clone  near  the  former  town  (f 
Weston  in  about  1833.  This  town  was  situated  near  the  south  edge  of 
the  S.  W.  1/4  sec.  22,  T.  27  N.,  E.  2  E.,  about  one-quarter  mile  east  of  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  Elizabeth  sheet.  It  has  been  estimated  that  about 
5,000,000  pounds  of  lead  ore  had  been  extracted  here  when  the  discovery 
of  lead  in  large  quantities  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Elizabeth,  to- 
gether with  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  caused  the  depopulation 
of  Weston.  In  the  year  1846,  according  to  James  Shaw,i  Elizabeth  and 
Weston  together  employed  about  800  miners,  while  Weston  is  said  to 
have  had  ''1,000  inhabitants  and  30  saloons."  At  the  present  time  but 
two  houses  remain  and  most  of  the  land  is  under  cultivation. 

With  this  increase  in  production  at  Elizabeth  came  the  erection  of 
smelters,  the  largest  one  being  built  north  of  Weston  on  Furnace  Creek, 
in  the  N.  W.  1/4  sec.  23,-  T.  27  N.,  E.  2  E.  This  smelter  was  operated 
by  Henry  Green.  Charles  Bowers  operated  a  furnace  on  the  Elizabeth- 
Woodbine  township  line  just  north  of  Elizabeth,  and  a  man  named 
Winters  ran  a  furnace  on  Apple  Eiver  near  the  now  defunct  town  of 
Georgetown  (W.  1/2  N.  W.  1/4  sec.  24,  T.  27  N".,  E.  2  E).  Fuller's 
furnace  was  located  at  Long  Hollow.  The  Bowers,  Fuller,  and  Winters 
furnaces  were  of  the  type  known  as  "log  furnaces,"  while  that  of  Henry 
Green  was  of  the  Scotch-hearth  or  blast-furnace  type. 

Henry  Green  estimated  that  up  to  the  year  1875,  the  district  had  pro- 
duced about  75,000,000  pounds  of  lead  ore,  which  figures  are  thought 
to  be  under  rather  than  over  the  true  production.  But  little  mining  was 
done  from  1875  to  1901,  when  the  Skene  mine  was  located.  Since "^then, 
other  mines  have  been  opened  up  and  run  for  various  lengths  of  time. 
The  fall  in  prices  of  lead  and  zinc  in  1907  greatly  discouraged  pros- 
pecting, but  the  present  advance  in  the  price  of  these  metals  is  causing 
renewed  activity  in  mining. 


TOPOGEAPHY. 

The  topograph}^,  as  a  whole,  is  mature  although  there  is  a  variation 
shown  in  different  parts.  The  slow  meandering  of  the  principal  streams, 
Apple  Eiver  and  Furnace  Creek^  with  the  filled  condition  of  their  val- 
leys and  their  gentle  fall,  are  indicative  of  old  age,  yet  the  district  shows 
considerable  relief  and  short,  narrow  valleys  are  abundant.  The  courses 
of  the  larger  streams  within  this  area  are  marked  by  broad,  flat,  low-ly- 
ing, flood-plains,  those  of  the  Apple  Eiver  varying  in  height  above  water 
level  from  six  feet  at  the  north  edge  of  the  district  to  ten  or  twenty 
feet  at  the  southern  edge.  Accompanying  these  flood-plains  and  com- 
posed of  similar  material  are  small  terraces,  remnants  of  the  high-water 
conditions  of  the  latter  part  of  the  great  ice  age.  Locally,  these  stand 
out  quite  prominently  (PL  3,  A.),  and  at  other  places  they  have  been 
entirely  eroded. 


^  Shaw,  James,  Geology  of  Jo  Daviess  County:  Geol.  Survey  of  111.,  Vol.  V  p.  45. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  3 


I-     ■■■- 


A.    Photograph  showing  remnantspf  terraces'formed^during^the  ice  age  (N.  W.  \,  S.  E.  \,  see.  18).  "^ 


B.    Photograph  showing  the  broad,  tlat  character  of  the  bottom  lands  and  the  meandering  cotirse  of 

Apple  River  (S.  W.  \,  sec.  18). 


cox]  THE   ELIZABETH    AREA.  27 

When  the  great  ice-sheets  came  down  from  the  Korth,  they  covered 
practically  all  the  land  north  of  the  Missouri  and  Ohio  rivers  with  the 
exception  of  a  small  area  in  northwestern  Illinois,  southwestern  Wiscon- 
sin, and  eastern  Iowa,  known  as  the  Driftless  Area.  This  includes  the 
region  of  the  Elizabeth  sheet.  While  the  Driftless  Area  was  not  sub- 
jected to  the  direct  action  of  the  glaciers,  such  as  the  scraping  ofE  of  the 
soil  and  the  deposition  of  till  and  bowlders  on  its  retreat,  there  were, 
however,  certain  indirect  results  that  may  still  be  seen  in  part.  Doubtless 
the  abnormal  amount  of  water  resulting  from  the  melting  of  the  glacier 
caused  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  Eiver  to  rise  and  remain  for  a  con- 
siderable time  at  a  point  higher  than  in  its  previous,  normal,  condition. 
At  the  same  time,  the  detrital  material  from  the  ice  exceeded  the  carrying 
power  of  the  stream,  and  resulted  in  a  filling  of  the  valley  and  a  rise 
in  the  stream  bed.  The  amount  of  this  filling  was  limited  only  by  the 
time  during  which  these  conditions  lasted.  As  the  Mississippi  built  up 
its  bed  the  tributary  streams  were  partially  dammed  and  their  waters 
ponded.  This  resulted  in  a  corresponding  filling  of  these  valleys  with 
sediments  of  local  origin,  while  those  of  the  Mississippi  consisted  largely 
of  foreign  material  derived  from  the  ice. 

At  the  close  of  the  ice-age  when  the  ice-sheet  retreated  to  the  north, 
the  beds  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  of  which  the  Apple 
Eiver  is  one,  had  actually  been  raised  an  amount  equal  to  the  thickness  of 
the  sediments  deposited  in  their  former  courses.  When  the  streams  we;*e 
no  longed  over-loaded  excess  of  deposition  ceased  and  normal  stream 
erosion  was  resumed.  This  resulted  in  a  rapid  cutting  down  through  the 
soft,  unconsolidated  material,  ,  leaving  here  and  there  along  the  edges 
of  the  valleys  remnants  of  the  abnormal  river  bottom  in  the  form  of 
terraces. 

Whether  Apple  Eiver  has  reached  the  position  that  it  occupied  before 
the  advent  of  the  last  glacial  period  is  questionable,  but  it  is  certain  that 
at  some  time  past  it  occupied  a  position  lower  than  that  of  the  present. 
For,  assuming  that  the  stream  cut  its  own  channel,  its  lowest  position 
must  have  been  on  bed  rock,  while  today  it  has  a  mud  bottom  with  a 
low,  flat,  flood-plain  on  either  side  (PI.  3,  B). 

The  topography  of  the  region  falls  naturally  into  three  divisions: 
the  broad,  flat,  bottom-lands  of  Apple  Eiver  and  Furnace  Creek;  the 
uplands,  with  a  general,  gentle  slope  towards  Apple  Eiver,  although 
cut  by  numerous  ravines;  and  Terrapin  Eidge,  which  enters  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  sheet. 

The  topography  of  the  uplands  is  characterized  by  gentle,  rounding, 
slopes, — so  common  to  non-glaciated  areas  where  erosion  has  acted 
upon  a  homogeneous  formation.  The  change  from  the  Galena  dolomite 
to  the  Maquoketa  shale  is  not  apparent  in  the  topography,  although 
the  shale  is  soft  and  easily  eroded.  The  influence  of  the  change  from  the 
Maquoketa  shales  to  the  Niagara  limestone  is  marked  before  the  contact 
is  reached,  (PL  4,  A.).  It  is  shown  by  a  change  in  the  surface  contour 
from  convex  to  concave  upward,  i.  e.,  the  shale  thickens  abruptly  just 
before  reaching  the  protecting  influence  of  the  Niagara  limestone  which 
caps  Terrapin  Eidge,  and  to  which  this  ridge  owes  its  existence. 


28 


YEAE-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


GEOLOGY. 

The  geology  of  the  district  is  simple,  both  as  to  the  variety  of  rocks 
found  and  as  to  their  relation  to  each  other.  All  the  rocks  exposed  at  the 
surface  or  reached  by  the  deepest  wells  are  of  sedimentary  origin  and 
were  formed  at  a  time  when  the  sea  covered  this  region.  However 
Igneous  or  metamorphic  rocks  do  underlie  the  district  and  can  be  found 
at  a  depth  of  1,500  to  2,000  feet.  A  general  section  for  the  district 
follows : 

Rocks  of  the  Elizabeth  Area. 


System. 


Quaternary. 

Silurian 

Ordovician. . 


Cambrian 

Pre-Cambrian. 


Formation. 


Character. 


Thickness 
—feet. 


Niagara. 


Maquoketa 

Galena 

Platteville 

St.  Peter 

Lower  Magnesian . 


Potsdam  or  St.  Croix. 


Residual  clays,  terrace  deposits,  alluvium 

Dolomite 

Shale 

Dolomite 

Limestone  and  dolomite 

Sandstone ....V..V.V. 

Dolomite  and  sandstone .V"/........ 

Sandstone  with  some  shale  and  dolomite 

Various  metamorphosed  sedimentary  and  igne- 
ous rocks 


0-50 

120+ 

150 
240 
60 
100 
330 

1,000 


Locks  lower  than  the  Galena  dolomite  are  nowhere  exposed  in  the 
district.  Those  lower  than  the  Potsdam  sandstone  have  not  even  been 
reached  by  the  deepest  wells,  their  presence  being  known  only  from  their 
occurrence  at  neighboring  points. 


Potsdam  Sandstone. 

^  The  Potsdam  formation  averages  about  1,000  feet  in  thickness  and 
IS  composed,  m  the  main,  of  sandstone  with  varying  amounts  of  dolo- 
mite and  shale.  In  general,  the  shale  and  dolomite  lie  near  the  middle 
of  the  formation;  but  there  seems  to  be  a  tendency  for  the  upper  portion 
to  be  more  or  less  shaley  along  the  southern  edge  of  the  lead  and  zinc 
field.  Thus,  it  is  necessary  to  drill  almost  through  the  formation  before 
reaching  a  porous  sandstone  from  which  a  good  supply  of  water  can  be 
obtained.  This  water-bearing  character  is  the  most  important  feature 
of  the  formation  at  this  point.  It  is  from  this  sandstone,  at  a  depth 
of  about  1,435  feet,  that  the  Illinois  Central  Eailroad  derives  its  water 
supply  at  Galena. 

Lov^ER  Magnesian  Dolomite. 

The  lower  Magnesian  formation  consists,  in  the  main,  of  dolomite 
but  includes  some  sandstone.  It  is  usually  separated  into  the  following 
members : 

3.     Shakopee    dolomite    40  feet. 

2.     New  Richmond  sandstone   15  to  130  feet.* 

1.     Oneota  dolomite'  200  to  225  feet 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16.  PLATE  4. 


A.  North  slope  of  Terrapin  Ridge  just  east  of  Elizabeth,  showing  effect  of  the  country  rock  upon  the 
topography.  The  foregroimd  is  xinderlain  by  the  Maquoketa  shale,  while  the  sharp  rise  to  the  right 
indicates  the  beginning  of  the  Niagara  dolomite. 


''^^ 


B.    Exposure  of  Maquoketa  shale  in  Chicago  &  Great  Western  Railroad  cut,  1  mile  east  of  Elizabeth, 


coxj  THE    ELIZABETH    AREA.  29 

It  is  generally  of  a  rather  coarse-grained  and  porous  character  and 
contains  masses  of  flints^  arranged  in  layers.  The  flints  themselves 
vary  from  a  fraction  of  an  inch  to  a  foot  in  diameter.  Crystalline 
quartz  is  present,  lining  cavities,  or  disseminated  through  the  rock,  so 
as  to  increase  its  hardness  notably.  The  top  of  the  formation  is  usually 
marked  by  siliceous  or  calcareous  oolite  which  resembles  fish  spawn. 

St.  Peter  Saxdstoxe. 

The  St.  Peter  sandstone  averages  about  100  feet  in  thickness.  It  is 
composed  of  poorly  cemented  sand  grains  which  are  well  rounded  and 
sized,  thus  giving  the  formation  a  large  proportion  of  pore  space.  This 
open  condition  of  the  sandstone  permits  the  free  circulation  of  water 
and  it  is  from  this  formation  that  the  town  of  Elizabeth  derives  its 
water  supply. 

Platteville  Li:\iestoxe. 

The  Platteville  formation  averages  about  60  feet  in  thickness  and  is 
probably  the  purest  limestone  in  the  series.  Where  found  in  neighboring 
areas  it  has  a  firm,  compact,  texture  and,  when  fresh,  usually  of  a  light- 
bluish  color,  which  weathers  to  light  buff.  Where  unaltered,  the  forma- 
tion is  fairly  massive  but  on  exposure  the  upper  portion  breaks  up  into 
thin  shaly  layers  which  may  be  separated  by  clay  partings. 

About  ten  feet  from  the  top  of  the  formation  occurs  a  hard,  compact, 
chocolate  colored  rock  known  as  the  '"glass-rock",  and  varying  from  n 
inches  to  4  feet  in  thickness.  In  the  northern  portion  of  the  Wisconsin 
district  considerable  ore  has  been  found  near  the  glass-rock,  but  in  the 
southern  portion  of  the  field  no  ore  has  been  found  at  this  horizon. 

Occurring  above  the  glass-rock,  and  sometimes  as  partings  within  it, 
is  a  dark-colored,  organic  shale  known  as  the  "oil-rock.'*  The  base  of 
the  main  body  of  oil-rock  above  the  glass-rock  is  taken  as  the  division  be- 
tween the  Plattevile  limestone  and  the  Galena  dolomite.  This  main 
layer  is  usually  mixed  with  clay  and  may  vary  from  a  few  inches  to  a 
number  of  feet  in  thickness.  Thin  bands  of  oil-rock  are  sometimes  found 
at  higher  levels  in  the  Galena  dolomite.  It  is  recognized  in  drilling 
by  the  color  of  the  cuttings,  which  will  burn  when  dry,  and  by  the 
appearance  of  oil  on  the  water.  Drill  holes  at  the  Skene  mine  and 
one  hole  near  the  Elizabeth  Mining  &  Development  Co.^s  mine  show  that 
the  oil-rock  is  present  in  this  area. 

Galexa  Doloisiite. 

The  Galena  is  a  dolomitic  limestone  averaging  about  240  feet  thick. 
The  generalized  section  for  northwestern  Illinois  as  given  by  Grant^ 
is  as  below: 


iGrant,  U.  S.  and  Burchard,  E.  F.,  Lancaster-Mineral  Point,  folio  (No.  145)  Geol.  Atlas  U.S.,  U.S. 
Geol.  Survey.,  1907  p.  6. 


30  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Generalized  Section  of  the  Galena  Dolomite. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


5.    Dolomite,  earthy,  thin  bedded 

4.    Dolomite,  coarsely  crystalline,  thick  bedded  to  massive 

3.    Dolomite,  thin  to  thick  bedded,  coarsely  crystalline,  chert  bearing 

2     Dolomite,  thick  bedded,  coarsely  crystalline 

1.    Thin  bedded  limestone  with  shaly  partings  which  are  highly  fossiliferous  and,  in  part, 
at  least,  carbonaceous,  the  "  Oil  Rock"  of  the  miners '. 


30 


2  to  10 


No.  1  has  been  shown  to  be  present  but  is  -nrobably  much  less  than  two 
feet  in  thickness  as  it  thins  out  on  all  sides  of  the  lead  and  zinc  district. 
No.  4  includes  most  of  the  limestone  exposed  at  the  surface,  although 
parts  of  No.  3  and  No.  5  can  be  seen. 

While  this  dolomite  is  generally  very  porous,  it  is  unusually  so  at 
this  point,  a  feature  which  permits  of  the  free  circulation  of  water, 
and  is  a  great  detriment  to  mining.  The  formation  is  very  fossil- 
iferous but  none  of  the  fossils  are  characteristic  of  any  certain  horizon 
except  ReceptacuUtes  Oweni,  which  resembles  somewhat  the  head  of  ;i 
sunflower.  Although  a  few  of  these  specimens  may  be  found  scattered 
throughout  the  formation,  it  is  particularly  characteristic  of  two  zones 
about  four  feet  thick  which  occur  near  the  bottom  and  top  of  the  flinty 
layer  (No.  3),  and  which  are  known  as  the  upper  and  lower  Receptacu- 
lites  zones,  respectively.  The  first  is  about  30  feet  below  the  top  of  No. 
4  and  the  second  35  to  50  feet  above  the  main  oil-rock  bed.  It  is  from 
the  Galena  formation  that  all  the  ore  extracted  in  the  district  has  been 
taken. 

Maquoketa  Shale. 

This  formation  is  best  exposed  at  the  Chicago  &  Great  Western  Rail- 
road cut,  one  mile  east  of  town  (PL  4,  B.).  Here  it  appears  as  a 
light-blue  clay-shale  interbedded  with  two-  to  six-inch  layers  of  limestone. 
The  interstratification  of  the  clay  and  limestone  seems  to  be  character- 
istic of  the  lower  half  of  the  formation,  while  the  upper  portion  is  of 
light-bufl  color  changing  to  deep-blue  with  depth.  Both  the  buff  and  the 
blue  shales  may  be  hard,  and  are  locally  termed  "hard  pan,'^  but  this 
quality  is  more  characteristic  of  the  latter,  which  may  be  of  so  firm  a 
nature  as  to  give  a  clear,  ringing  sound  when  struck  with  a  piece  of  steel. 
Thin  bands  of  yellowish  clay  occur  in  many  places,  and  where  in  a  more 
porous  stratum,  limit  the  water  circulation  so  that  their  outcrop  is  often 
marked  by  the  occurrence  of  springs. 

Both  the  upper  and  lower  contacts  are  marked  by  an  abrupt  change 
from  shale  to  limestone.  The  lower  contact  is  also  marked  by  the  occur- 
rence of  a  fossil,  a  small  lamellibranch,  Cleidopliorus  neglectiis,  resem- 
bling the  ordinary  clam  except  that  it  is  only  about  ^4  iiich  across.  The 
shale  has  a  thickness  of  150  feet. 

Niagara  Dolomite. 

Capping  Terrapin  Ridge  southeast  of  Elizabeth  is  a  very  flinty  dolo- 
mite, the  Niagara,  which  in  the  area  mapped  reaches  a  maximum  thick- 


cox]  THE    ELIZABETH    AREA.  31 

ness  of  120  feet.  This  is  the  highest  formation  in  the  stratigraphic 
cohimn  of  this  area.  Higher  and  younger  formations  may  have  over- 
lain this  one  in  the  past,  but,  if  so,  erosion  has  removed  all  trace  of 
them,  as  well  as  a  large  portion  of  this  dolomite.  The  bottom  of  the 
•quarry  south  of  town  is  about  30  feet  above  the  base  of  the  Xiagara. 
The  exposure  here  consists  of  30  feet  of  badly  decomposed  dolomite, 
containing  2  to  6-inch  bands  of  flints,  averaging  about  14  inches  apart 
(PL  5,  A.) 


MINING  OPERATIONS. 

The  present  report  has  special  reference  to  mining  operations  of  the 
region.  Lying  just  north  of  Elizabeth  are  a  number  of  crevices  which 
strike  in  a  general  east  and  west  direction.  While  the  east  and  west 
crevices  have  produced  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  ore  extracted, 
north  and  south  and  quartering  crevices  are  present  and  have  assisted 
m  the  production.  So  far,  the  ore  has  been  found  almost  entirely  in  the 
"dr}^"  the  presence  of  openings  and  ore  in  the  "wet"  not  having  been 
tested  except  in  a  very  few  cases.  Intersections  of  east  and  west  crevices 
with  north  and  south  or  quartering  crevices  are  regarded  as  exceptionaUv 
favorable  for  the  concentration  of  the  ore.  The  formation  is  very 
porous  so  that  such  intersections  often  result  in  very  large  openings 
which,  however,  may  or  may  not  be  mineralized.  This  open  condition 
of  the  country  rock  permits  the  free  circulation  of  water,  which  be- 
comes a  source  of  considerable  trouble  and  expense  in  mining. 

Below  is  given  a  list  of  the  most  important  ranges  and  their  produc- 
tion to  date,  as  closely  as  it  is  possible  to  estimate  at  this  time : 

List  of  Ranges.'' 


Name. 

Production- 
Pounds. 

Ashmore 

100,000 

Ball 

100, 000 

Barrington  .   .          .                                                                

1.000,000 

Boden 

150,000 

Bowman       .   .                                                                          

1,000,000 

Boj'd 

500,000 

Brasell             .                                                                       ....            

1,000,000 

Catlin 

500,000 

Childers  and  Overstreet 

1.500,000 

Comman 

100,000 

Estey 

200.000 

100,000 

Forked  Lot 

1.000,000 

Haggerty    

6, 000, 000 

Hitt  and  Delaney 

1,000,000 

Hopkins 

500,000 

Hubbard 

70,000 

Lime  Kiln 

1.000,000 

Logan 

1,000,000 

Log  Chain v               

900,000 

Marshall 

70,000 

McChesney 

2. 000, 000 

Meek 

1,000,000 

Old  Patch    . 

500, 000 

Overstreet 

200,000 

Perrine 

50,000 

32 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 

List  of  7?(m^es'— Concluded. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Name. 

Production- 
Pound  >. 

Pough              

1,000,000 

250. 000 

Renolds             

150, 000 

5,000,000 
200, 000 
50,000 

Roberts             

Rock  Point : 

Scotch  Lot          

.300. 000 

Scott 

50  000 

Shunk                    

1,000,000 
500,000 
250,000 

2,000,000 
100,000 

6, 000, 000 

Tart                                           

Van  Meter 

Vanveltenberg                                                   .   . 

Whiteside 

Wilson                                                            .  .   . 

50, 000 

Wishon     

23,000,000 

^This  list  is  a  portion  of  the  private  notes  of  Mr.  R.  S.  Bamett  which  he  has  kindly  furnished.  The 
author  wishes  to  extend  his  thanks  to  Mr  Bamett  for  this  and  for  the  general  assistance  rendered  in  the 
preparation  of  this  article. 

Mines  of  the  Area. 

Wishon  Mine. — This  mine  is  situated  in  the  S.  E.  14  ^-  E.  i/4  sec. 
14,  T.  27  N.,  E.  2  E.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  mines  in  the  district,  hav- 
ing been  a  producer  as  far  back  as  1865.  But  little  work  was  done  be- 
tween the  years  1875  and  1902  because  of  the  lack  of  machinery  with 
which  to  control  the  water.  In  1902  the  mine  was  re-opened,  new  machin- 
ery installed,  and  a  new  shaft  sunk  to  a  depth  of  150  feet;  and  in  1905 
a  one-hundred-ton  concentrating  mill  was  added,  so  that  at  the  present 
time  this  is  the  best  equipped  mine  in  the  district.  The  main  ore  body 
occurred  in  an  east-west  crevice  whose  course  can  be  traced  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  on  the  surface  by  the  dumps  about  old.  shafts.  The  ore 
was  found  both  above  and  in  the  flint  beds,  extending  down  into  the 
water.  The  ground  is  open,  and  in  places  well-defined  pitches  run  down 
into  the  flints  to  the  north  and  south.  Both  the  mineralized  and  waste 
ground  has  been  removed  from  between  the  pitches  leaving  great  open 
drifts  which,  locally,  are  150  feet  wide  and  50  feet  high. 

The  property  is  leased  by  the  Enterprise  Mining  Company  and,  al- 
though the  mine  is  closed  now,  it  is  expected  to  be  soon  in  active  oper- 
■  ation  again.  It  has  been  a  big  producer  in  the  past,  and  much  is  ex- 
pected of  it  in  the  future  by  the  stockholders.  According  to  report  the 
shutting  down  of  the  mine  was  due  to  mismanagement  rather  than  to 
lack  of  ore.  It  is  possible,  therefore,  that  this  mine  may  again  assume 
a  leading  position  among  the  mines  of  the  State. 

Skene  Mine.— While  situated  in  the  S.  W.  1/4  of  sec.  25,  T.  27  ^sT , 
E.  2  E.,  just  outside  the  area  mapped  in  this  report,  the  Skene  mine, 
nevertheless,  belongs  to  this  group  and  so  is  included  here.  Discovered 
by  Chas.  Ashmore  in  1901,  it  was  operated  by  G-eorge  Skene  up  to  1902, 
and  by  the  Elizabeth  Mining  &  Milling  Company  from  1902  to  1907, 
when  it  was  shut  down, — apparently  because  of  the  fall  in  the  price  of 
lead  and  the  high  cost  of  mining.  It  has  since  been  dismantled.  The 
mine  is  said  to  have  produced  4,000,000  pounds  of  lead  ore. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  5. 


A.    Exposure  showing  the  cherty  character  of  the.Niagara  dolmite. 


B.    View  illustrating  the  formation  of  flats  and  pitche.': 


cox]  THE    ELIZABETH    AREA.  38 

It  is  located  upon  an  '^east  and  west'^  (X.  83°  E.)  crevice  which  at 
a  depth  of  96  feet  branches  into  two  pitches,  the  north  one  having  a 
liorseshoe  shape,  so  characteristic  of  the  Wisconsin  field.  Most  of  the 
ore  mined  came  from  the  south  pitch,  which  has  been  opened  up  for 
over  a  thousand  feet.  It  was  associated  with  but  a  small  amount  of 
zinc  and  iron  sulphides,  the  latter  occurring  both  in  layers  on  the  walls 
of  the  openings  and  in  distinct  crystals.  The  north  pitch  has  been  pros- 
l^ected  by  cross-cuts  and  by  drilling,  which  are  said  to  show  an  increased 
amount  of  zinc  blende.  The  core  ground,  between  the  two  pitches,  is 
more  or  less  mineralized,  showing  small  stringers  of  galena  in  the  form 
of  verticals  and  flats. 

The  mine  is  below  permanent  water-level  but  still  witliin  the  oxidized 
zone.  There  was  no  apparent  increase  in  the  amount  of  zinc  blende  or 
any  trace  of  zinc  carbonate  at  or  just  below  the  level  of  permanent 
ground  water.  Drill  records  show  the  property  to  he  underlain  by  the 
oil-rock  which  separates  the  Galena  dolomite  from  the  Platteville  lime- 
stone and  which  l)ear5  such  an  important  relation  to  the  lead  and  zinc 
deposits  of  southwestern  Wisconsin.  It  is  estimated  that  the  production 
of  this  mine  to  date  has  been  about  -1:,000,000  pounds  of  lead  ore. 

Illinois  iV'/ze. — The  property  is  situated  in  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  X.  E.  1/4  sec.  16,  T.  27  X./R.  2  E.,  on  the  main  highway  about  half 
a  mile  from  the  Chicago  &  Great  Western  Railroad.  It  is  on  the  old 
Richards  range.  This  range  was  one  of  the  heaviest  producers  of  lead 
in  the  "dry"^  in  the  district.  $210,000  is  the  value  of  lead  sold  from  it. 
It  consists  of  a  series  of  east-wests,  cut  by  north-souths  and  quarterings. 
Xinety  feet  is  said  to  be  the  maximum  depth  to  which  the  mine  was 
worked  up  to  1906,  when  two  shafts  were  sunk ;  a  hoisting  shaft  to  'a 
depth  of  110  feet,  and  a  pump  shaft  to  130  feet.  A  plant  consisting  of 
pump,  hoist,  and  air  compressor  was  installed  and  a  drift  was  cut  150 
feet  to  the  south,  following  a  thin  sheet  of  galena. 

Kansas  Mine. — This  is  located  on  the  S.  W.  I/4  sec.  24.  T.  2T  X., 
R.  2  E.  In  1906  this  company  sank  two  shafts  on  the  old  Van  dieter 
range  to  depths  of  127  and  200  feet,  and  connected  the  two. 

In  Januar}^,  1906,  they  also  acquired  the  Riverside  mine  located  on  the 
same  quarter  section  but  on  the  Rough  range.  Two  shafts  had  been  sunk 
by  this  company,  the  deepest  l)eing  160  feet.  This  is  the  only  mine  in 
the  district  that  is  producing  at  the  present  time  and  the  work  seems  to 
be  largely  in  the  nature  of  development. 

Bill  Burns  Level. — It  is  estimated  that  about  1,000,000  pounds  of  lead 
ore  was  taken  out  of  this  mine,  which  is  located  in  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  X.  W.  14  X.  E.  14  sec.  19,  T.  27  X..  R.  2  E.  The  ore  was 
found  at  the  surface  in  a  north-south  crevice  and  was  followed  down 
about  25  feet  where  the  ground  became  more  open.  The  ore  occurred  in 
irregular  openings,  as  a  filling  along  fractures  and  bedding  planes,  espe- 
cially at  the  crossing  of  two  fractures.  At  this  level  the  ore  body  spread 
out  in  an  irregular  flat,  about  6  feet  high  and  80  feet  in  diameter.  Later. 

—3  G 


34  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

the  tunnel  was  lengthened  to  about  400  feet,  and  showed  small  amounts 
of  lead  in  crevices  and  holes^  and  along  bedding  planes,  throughout  its 
entire  length. 

•  The  galena  occurred  near  the  top  of  the  flints  and  just  above  the 
present  permanent  water  level.  The  bottom  of  the  tunnel  is  about  five 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  river.  Mr.  Burns  states  that  he  expects  to 
continue  work  this  winter  (1909-10)  in  the  hope  of  opening  np  a  new  ore 
body. 

Empire  Mine. — This  is  located  in  the  center  of  the  N".  E.  i/4  of  sec. 
d,  T.  26  N.,  E.  2  E.,  on  the  Steel  range.  It  is  equipped  with  boiler, 
pumps,  and  hoist,  and  has  two  shafts,  sunk  to  a  depth  of  50  feet.  A 
cross-cut  extends  60  feet  to  the  north  and  is  said  to  cut  five  large  east- 
west  crevices,  bearing  mineral.  The  mine  is  still  in  a  prospective  stage. 
and  was  not  entered  by  the  writer. 

Elizabetlv  Mining  and  Development  Company. — This  property  lies  in 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  S.  W.  14  sec.  24,  T.  27  N.,  E.  2  E.,  on  the 
Scott  range,  adjoining  the  town  of  Elizabeth.  The  plant  consists  of  a 
boiler  and  hoist,  and  the  development  work  includes  a  shaft  150  feet 
deep,  and  a  small  amount  of  drifting.  Mr.  Barnett  states  that  30,000 
pounds  of  lead  ore  has  been  taken  out.  At  the  present  time  (December, 
1909)  the  company  is  down  46  feet  with  a  new  shaft  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  S.  W.  i/4  sec.  24,  where  a  drill  hole  showed  lead  values. 

Haggerty  Mining  and  Development  Cow^pany. — The  mine  is  located 
in  the  S.  E.  I/4  S.  E.  1/4  ^^c.  14,  on  the  old  ]jog  Chain  range,  and  is 
owned  and  operated  on  a  small  scale  by  Geo.  E.  McLean.  It  is  equipped 
with  boiler,  hoist  and  pump,  and  has  one  shaft  down  47  feet. 

Other  Mines. — ^Besides  the  above  mines  there  are  numerous  others,  of 
which  some  have  been  producers  and  others  have  not.  All  of  these  look 
alike,  at  present, — machinery  and  equipment  having  been  removed.  There 
is  nothing  to  reveal  the  amount  of  excavation  except  the  dump  pile  and 
nobody  to  tell  of  the  production  except  one  or  two  old  miners  who  do 
not  remember,  or  never  knew,  the  amounts  produced.  Among  these 
properties  may  be  listed  the  Apple  Eiver  Mine,  just  north  of  this  sheet; 
the  Queen  Mine,  just  north  of  Elizabeth ;  the  Old  Haggerty  Mine,  etc. 

Both  slopes  of  Apple  Eiver  are  so  completely  covered  with  test- 
pits  that  it  is  impossible  to  tell  whether  particular  prospects  went  to 
bed  rock  only,  or  found  a  crevice ;  or  whether  ore  was  or  was  not  extract- 
ed. A  large  amount  of  ore  was  obtained  from  these  slopes,  as  well  as 
farther  back  from  the  river,  with  no  machinery  except  a  windlass  and 
bucket.  The  amount  of  ore  extracted  in  this  manner  can  be  approximated 
only  by  taking  the  total  production  of  the  district  and  subtracting  from 
this  the  output  of  the  principal  mines. 

It  is  expected  that  a  number  of  the  old  mines  will  become  active  at 
once  and  that  a  number  of  new  mines  and  prospects  will  be  added  to 
the  list. 


cox]  THE   ELIZABETH    AREA.  35 

EELATION  OF  DEPOSITS  TO  STRUCTUEAL  FEATURES. 

While  the  ore  thus  far  produced  has  been  found  in  openings  in  the 
^'dry/^  the  future  of  the  district  depends  upon  the  occurrence  of  ore 
below  this  depths  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Galena  dolomite.  Over  the 
whole  lead  and  zinc  district  the  ore,  with  a  few  exceptions,  occurs  in 
openings  which  are  either  of  a  cavernous  nature  or  of  the  vertical-fissure 
type.  The  former  is  due  to  the  solution  of  a  soft  layer  of  limestone  be- 
tween two  harder  ones,  usually  along  a  fissure ;  and  the  second  to  some 
deformation  movement  by  which  the  district  has  been  affected.  The 
vertical  crevices  often  branch  within  100  feet  or  less  of  the  oil-rock  and 
form  fiats  and  pitches  which  are  the  characteristic  features  of  the  lower 
portion  of  the  formation.  Such  flats  and  pitches  have  been  shown  to  be 
present  in  both  the  Wishon  and  Skene  mines,  and  it  is  with  the  presence 
and  mineralization  of  these  openings  that  the  future  of  the  district  is 
largely  concerned. 

The  ores  have  all  been  deposited  from  water  and  therefore  bear  a  close 
relation  to  openings,  not  only  because  these  afford  a  place  for  deposition, 
but  primarily  because  of  the  control  that  these  openings  exert  upon  the 
water  circulation. 

The  top  of  the  Platteville  limestone  at  the  time  of  the  deposition  of 
tlie  overlying  oil-rock  was  apparently  uneven,  and  Chamberlin^  has 
called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  oil-rock  would  therefore  accumulate 
largely  in  the  basins.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  oil-rock  has.  shrunk 
from  three  to  eight  times  its  volume.  Such  conditions  would  result  in 
an  unequal  settling  of  the  Galena  dolomite  above,  and  a  slump  of  the 
lower  beds  of  this  formation  Avithin  the  oil-rock  basins  where  the  shrink- 
age would  be  the  greatest,  thus  resulting  in  the  formation  of  the  flats 
and  pitches  (PI.  5,  B.). 

Chamberlin  recognized  a  relation  between  the  ore  deposits  and  the  oil- 
rock  basins  but  positive  evidence  was  lacking  until  1906,  when  the  rela- 
tion was  worked  out  in  consideral)]e  detail  by  Grant,-  who  says: 

"Xot  only  are  there  disseminated  deposits  in  these  structural  rock-, 
basins,  but  in  certain  instances,  at  least,  the  well  known  and  important 
flats  and  pitches  have  been  demonstrated  to  occur  in  basins  of  this  char- 
acter." *  *  * 

^SSufficient  data  are  not  at  hand  to  sliow  that  all  the  deposits  occurring 
in  flats  and  pitches  do  exist  in  these  synclinal  basins,  but  there  can  be  no 
question  as  to  their  general  relation  to  these  basins." 

Elsewhere'"'  Grant  says :  "As  has  already  been  stated,  many  of  the  ore 
deposits  are  intimately  related  to  structural  basins.  These  structural 
basins,  or  at  least  such  of  them  as  occur  in  the  Galena  dolomite,  are 
floored  by  practically  impervious  layers, —  that  is,  by  the  oil-rock  and 
shales  below  it.  It  seems  clear,  then,  that  these  basins  have  acted  as  chan- 
nels for  water  that  has  descended  to  the  impervious  floors  and  then  flowed 
along  in  the  direction  of  the  pitch  of  the  synclines  forming  the  basins." 


'  Geol.  of  Wis.,  vol.  4, 1882,  p.  190. 

Grant,  U.  S.:    Wis.  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey,  Bull.  XIV,  p. 
^Grant,  XT.  S:    U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  folio  145,  p.  12. 


36  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [hull.  no.  16 

Mining  operations  carried  on  since  tlie  publication  of-  these  reports, 
all  tend  to  confirm  the  relation  as  outlined  above.  It  should,  however, 
be  borne  in  mind  that  this  is  a  general  statement  and  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow  that  the  oil-rock  thickens  uniformly  towards  the  center  of 
the  basins;  in  fact,  this  is  rarely  if  ever  the  case.  Abrupt  changes  in  the 
tliickness  and  dip  are  the  rule,  usually  occurring  together,  and  are  con- 
sidered exceptionally  favorable  conditions  for  the  occurrence  of  ore. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  ORES. 

The  discovery  and  development  of  an  ore  deposit  are  greatly  aided  by 
a  knowledge  of  its  origin  and  of  the  factors  which  have  conditioncil 
its  present  location.  Our  knowledge  concerning  the  carrying  and  deposi- 
tion of  ores,  while  constantly  increasing,  is  still  far  from  complete.  In 
consequence  of  this,  theories  concerning  the  origin,  transportation  and 
deposition  of  ore  bodies  usually  go  through  a  series  of  changes  before  ar- 
riving at  what  is  at  last  accepted  as  the  correct  statement  of  conditions. 
The  upper  Mississippi  Valley  district  is  no  exception  to  this  rule.  The 
early  writers,  Owen^  and  PercivaP,  postulated  an  igneous  origin  for  the 
ores.  They  believed  that  the  ores  were  derived  from  the  igneous  rocks 
below;  that  hot  water  and  gases  from  these  rocks  escaped  upward,  and 
deposited  the  ores  in  the  formations  above.  Later  writers  showed  that 
tbis  was  impossible  as  there  were  no  known  igneous  rocks  in  the  district 
that  are  as  young  as  the  sediments  in  which  the  ores  are  found  and  that 
there  are  one  or  more  clay  beds  below  the  deposits  through  which  the 
mineralized  solutions  or  gases  could  not  pass.  Whitney^  conceived  the 
idea  that  the  ore  was  deposited  from  the  sea,  Avith  the  material  of  which 
tlie  formation  is  composed,  and  was  later  concentrated  in  the  openings 
by  ordinary  ground  waters.  Chamberlin'^  discussed  in  greater  detail  and 
enlarged  upon  the  theory  of  origin  as  proposed  by  Whitney,  both  believ- 
ing that  the  ore  was  originally  scattered  through  the  Galena  and  Platte- 
ville  formations.  Blake's^  contribution  was  in  calling  attention  to  the 
possible  importance  of  the  oil-rock  as  a  precipitating  agent,  previously 
suggested  by  Chaml)erlin.  Winslow^  suggested  that  the  ore  may  have 
been  derived  from  the  decomposition  and  erosion  of  sorae  beds  overlying 
tlie  Maquoketa  shale.  Leonard^  Calvin^  and  Bain  followed  Whitucv 
and  Chamberlin.  \i\n  Hise^  followed  Whitney  in-so-far  as  he  believed 
that  the  ores  were  originally  distributed  in  the  Galena  and  Platteville 
formations.  But  he  considered  that  the  concentration  was  due  to  artesian 
waters  and  was  confined  to  the  places  where  the  Maquoketa  shale  was 
first  eroded, — so  as  to  permit  the  escape  of  these  ponded  waters,  and  thnt 
the  present  deposits  correspond  to  the  secondary  enrichment  zones  of  a 


'Owen,  D.  D.:    Kept.  Geol.  Survey,  Wis.,  la.  and  Minn.,  1852,  pp.  61-62. 

2Percival,  J.  C:    Ann.  Rept.  Cxeol.  Survey  of  Wis.,  p.  63, 1856. 

^Whitney,  J.  D.:    Geol.  Survey  of  111.,  vol.  I,  pp.  153-207,  1866. 

^Chamberlin,  T.  C:     Geol.  of  Wis.,  vol.  4,  pp.  365-371,  1882. 

•'■Blake,  W.  P.:    Bull.  Geol.  Soc.  America,  vol.  5,  1894,  pp.  25-32. 

"Winslow,  Arthur:,  Jour.  Geology,  vol.  1,  pp.  612-619. 

'Am.  Geologist,  vol.  16,  pp.  288-294, 1895. 

''la.  Geol.  Survey,  vol.  10,  pp.  279-622, 1900. 

"Trans.  Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  vol.  30,  pp.  27-177,  1901 


<-OxJ  THE   ELIZABETH    AREA.  37 

primary  concentration.  Grant  in  1903i  accepted  tentatively  the  conclu- 
sions of  Van  Hise  as  being  the  most  plausible  so  far  advanced.  However 
in  19072  he  agrees  with  the  revised  theory  as  published  by  Bain,  but  in 
the  development  of  which  he  assisted.  In  1906^  Bain  published  the  most 
consistent  and  elaborate  theory  so  far  proposed.  He  differs  from  Whitney 
in  assuming  that  the  original  distribution  of  the  ores  was  in  the  Galena 
dolomite  only.  He  agrees  with  Chamberlin  and  Blake  in  accounting  for 
the  location  of  the  ores  by  an  exceptional  amount  of  organic  matter 
at  these  places.  He  improves  upon  the  suggestion  of  Blake  as  to  the  pos- 
sible importance  of  the  oil-rock  and  shows  that  it  is  a  powerful  precipi- 
tating agent.     His  theory  may  be  briefly  outlined  as  follows : 

At  the  time  when  the  Galena  limestone  was  being  formed,  this  area  was 
under  water.  During  the  formation  of  the  limestone  the  decomposition 
of  the  organic  matter  of  the  oil-rock  below  caused  organic  acids  and 
gases  to  rise  up  through  the  then  unconsolidated  limestone  into  the  sea. 
This  caused  the  precipitation  of  the  lead  and  zinc  minerals  held  in 
solution,  so  that  minute  particles  of  lead  and  zinc  and  iron  ores  were 
scattered  all  through  the  limestone  during  the  course  of  its  formation. 

After  the  deposition  of  this  and  the  superimposed  formations,  the  area 
became  dry  land  and  the  upper  formations  were  eroded.  The  dissemin- 
ated ore  was  taken  into  solution  by  ordinary  water  from  the  surface,  as 
is  percolated  through  the  limestone,  carried  to  the  openings,  and  was 
there  deposited,  where  it  may  since  have  undergone  one  or  more  second- 
ary concentrations. 

There  are  certain  features  connected  with  the  ore  deposits  which, 
in  the  mind  of  the  author,  are  not  satisfactorilv  explained  by  this 
theory  and  others  which  can  be  equally  well  explained  in  a  different 
manner. 

Objections  to  Bain's  Theory.^ 

1.  It  is  imposible  to  prove  that  any  lead  and  zinc  compounds  existed 
in  the  Galena  dolomite  of  this  district  as  original  minerals. 

2.  It  must  appeal  to  secondary  concentration  to  explain  the  vertical 
distribution  of  the  ores,  i.  e.,  the  occurrence  of  galena  above  and  the  zinc 
blende  and  iron  sulphide  below\ 

3.  While  the  distribution  of  the  oil-rock  corresponds  closely  to  the 
lead  and  zinc  districts,^  the  lateral  distribution  of  the  ores  does^iot  cor- 
respond to  the  thickness  of  the  oil-rock,  for  whole  townships  are  seem- 
ingly barren  of  mineral  while  others  underlain  bv  the  same  or  a  less 
thickness  are  heavily  mineralized. 

^^  4.  It  does  not  explain  the  occurrence  of  large  crystals  of  galena, 
''cog  mineral,"  found  in  the  openings  in  the  Dubuque  and  Elizabeth 
districts,  which,  because  of  their  position  in  the  top  of  th  Galena  dolom- 
ite, cannot  be  from  a  secondary  vertical  concentration.    If  the  concentrat- 

^Wis.  Geol.  &  Nat.  Hist.  Survey,  Bull.  ix. 
-U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  Bull.  294,  1906. 
I  ^U.  S.  Geol.  Survev,  Geol.  folio,  145. 

oolSet^Sisir^^ir?!  ?„?riihe'd  late?'"'"  °'  '"=  °*"  "'  ""= """"    "  '^  ^"P'='="=''  •"="  "  ™°'-<' 
-Unpublished  work  by  the  author  for  the  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey. 


88  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no. 

ing  water  took  this  ore  into  solution  by  passing  downward  and  laterally 
through  the  small  pores  of  the  dolomite,  as  outlined  by  Bain,  it  must  of 
necessity  liave  been  alkaline  or  neutral  in  nature.  Buckley^  and  Buehler 
show  that  from  such  solutions  the  ores  will  be  thrown  down  in  an  inti- 
mate mixture,  or  even  if  the  solutions  were  acid^  the  galena  would  be 
deposited  from  ascending  solutions  below  the  sphalerite  and  iron  sul- 
phide. The  only  explanation  available,  then,  is  that  the  ores  were  thrown 
down  in  an  intimate  mixture  and  the  zinc  and  iron  sulphide  were  later 
dissolved  out  leaving  the  more  insoluble  lead  ore  behind.  But  if  this 
were  true,  the  residual  material  would  be  a  porous,  lioneycombed  mass 
of  iron  stained  galena,  which  is  far  from  the  case. 

5.  Lead  and  zinc  ores  are  found  outside  of  the  district  underlain 
by  the  oil-rock.  The  most  distant  autenticated  occurrence  is  near  Free- 
]iort  and  is  descril^cd^  as  follows  • 

Galena,  or  common  lead  ore,  is  and  has  been  mined  for,  to  some  extent. 
There  is  an  old  crevice  mine  near  the  mouth  of  Yellow  Creek,  that  has  often 
engaged  attention  in  years  past,  but  no  heavy  amounts  of  mineral  have  ever 
been  taken  from  it.  From  the  quarries  near  Lena,  "chunks"  as  large  as 
the  fist  have  been  taken.  In  the  township  of  Oneco,  a  company  of  Freeport 
men  prospected  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  obtained  several  hundred 
pounds  of  mineral.  Near  Weitzel's  mill  some  "prospecting"  has  been  carried 
on.  Along  the  banks  of  Yellow  Creek  some  "float  mineral"  has  been  picked 
up;  and  in  almost  any  of  the  quarries,  small  bits  of  ore  may  be  detected. 

Thus  while  ore  has  not  been  found  in  any  great  quantities,  this  still 
shows  that  the  conditions  which  caused  the  occurrence  of  the  ores  in 
the  main  district  was  effective  at  these  points,  and  it  is  not  understood 
how  this  could  have  been  done  by  the  oil-rock,  for  no  trace  of  it  could  be 
found  at  Freeport,  or  about  Eockton,  Orangeville,  Buena  Vista,  and 
Sciota  Mills  to  the  northeast,  north,  and  northwest  of  Freeport. 

It  was  the  author^s  privilege  while  in  the  employment  of  the  Wiscon- 
sin' Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey  to  be  assigned  to  the  task 
of  mapping  the  oil-rock  as  to  its  extent  and  thickness.  In  connection 
with  this  work  a  number  of  sections  of  the  Maquoketa  shales  were  found 
which  were  so  highly  organic  that  they  had  been  mistaken  for  the  oil- 
rock.  It  was  but  a  step  from  this  to  the  consideration  of  the  shales  as 
a  possible  source  of  the  ores.  Further  work  during  the  past  year  for  this 
Survey  has  strengthened  these  conclusions.  Stated  briefly  the  arguments 
in  favor  of  the  shales  as  the  origin  of  the  ores  are  as  follows : 

1.  Where  these  shales  have  been  so  far  examined  in  Illinois  and  Iowa 
(there  are  no  exposures  in  Wisconsin  within  the  lead  and  zinc  district) 
they  have  contained  lead  and  zinc  sulphides  in  such  positions  that  they 
must  have  been  original  in  this  formation,  and  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
more  than  account  for  all  the  ore  that  has  been  mined  in  this  district. 

2.  The  non-glaciated  area  from  which  the  shales  have  been  eroded 
corresponds  closely  to  the  lead  and  zinc  district  except  to  the  north 
where  nothing  is  known  as  to  the  character  of  the  shales,  the  amount  of 
oil-rock  that  was  present,  or  the  amount  of  ore  that  may  have  been  here, 
as  they  have  all  been  eroded. 


' Buckley  and  BueWer  Geology  of  the  Granby  District:    Mo.  Bureau  of  Geology  and  Mines,  vol.,  IV 
p.  107. 

-James  Shaw:    fie6\.  Survey  of  111.,  vol.  V,  p.  72,  1873. 


co>^J  THE    ELIZABETH    AREA.  39 

3.  Tlie  Maquokcta  is  so  liiglily  organic  in  places  that  it  burns  with  a 
readiness  equal  to  that  of  the  best  oil-rock  and  with  a  similar  odor.  The 
o]-ganic  portions  of  the  shale  are  very  much  thicker  than  the  oil-rock 
which  averages  only  ahout  a  foot  thick  over  the  whole  district.  Any  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  the  Galena  dolomite  as  the  origin  because  of  the  pre- 
cipitating power  of  the  organic  material  of  the  oil-rock,  are  much  more 
favorable  to  the  Maquoketa  shales  because  of  their  greater  thickness  and 
larger  amount  of  organic  matter. 

4.  Water  coming  from  the  shales  would  probably  be  acid  from  the 
alteration  of  the  sulphides  present.  Buckley  and  Buehler  have  shown 
that  the  neutralization  of  such  solutions  by  coming  into  contact  with 
the  limestone  would  cause  the  lead  sulphide  to  be  precipitated  hrst  at 
the  top  and  the  zinc  and  iron  sulphides  below,  accounting  for  the  vertical 
distribution  of  the  ores  found  in  the  district. 

5.  It  accounts  for  the  occurrence  of  the  "cog  lead''  near  the  top  of  the 
Galena  formation. 

6.  It  accounts  for  ranges,  tliese  being  drainage  channels  where  the 
galena  was  first  exposed. 

It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  this  article  that  the  oil-rock  does  not 
bear  an  important  relation  to  th  ore  deposits,  but  rather  that  this  relation 
is  due  to  the  influence  the  oil-rock  has  exerted  upon  the  concentration 
of  the  ores. 

Summary. 

It  is  held  that  the  Maquoketa  shales  contain  lead  and  zinc  compounds 
as  original  minerals;  that  such  a  source  is  adequate;  that  this  theory 
accounts  for  the  lateral  distribution  of  the  ores ;  that  it  accounts  for  the 
vertical  distribution  of  the  ores  without  appealing  to  the  secondary  con- 
centration; that  it  accounts  for  the  occurrence  of  "cog  lead"  and  ranges; 
that  the  Maquoketa  is  as  rich  in  organic  matter  as  the  oil-rock  and  of 
much  greater  thickness;  that  the  concentration  b-  downward  moving  solu- 
tions is  by  far  the  more  simple  explanation,  using  the  movement  of  sur- 
face waters  which  we  know  is  going  on  at  all  times. 


PROSPECTING. 

In  the  search  for  ore  deposits  it  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  followinfr 
points :  ^ 

FirsP—ln  the  present  state  of  development  it  is  always  wise  to  select  for 
prospecting,  land  which  has  in  former  years  furnished  considerable  ore  of 
lead  or  of  lead  and  zinc,  above  the  level  of  ground  water.  Such  districts 
can  be  recognized  usually  by  the  character  of  the  surface,  which  has  been 
more  or  less  completely  honeycombed  with  old  workings.  While  it  is  not 
possible  to  say  that  deeper  ore  deposits  will  be  found  only,  or  always  below 
these  higher  deposits  of  altered  ores,  it  still  is  an  almost  universal  rule  that 
the  deep  deposits  which  are  being  worked  today  underlie  deposits  which 
were  worked  in  years  gone  by. 


Ce?Sr?eJ^  onn   m''no^  8^1907  ^^'""'^  ^^^^^  ""^  *^^  ^^^"^  ^"""^  ''''''  ^'"^'"'''^  ""^  Northern  Illinois,  State 


40  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Second — As  the  principal  ores  of  the  district,  which  are  at  present  being 
mined,  or  which  will  be  mined  in  the  future,  are  the  original  metallic  sul- 
phides, these  must  be  searched  for  below  the  ground  water  level.  It  is  there- 
fore wise  to  select  land  in  which  there  is  considerable  thickness — 30  to  50 
feet — of  Galena  limestone  below  the  level  of  ground  water. 

(The  oil-rock  probably  does  not  come  within  60  feet  of  the  surface  any- 
where within  the  six  square  miles  mapped  so  that  there  Is  sufficient  dolomite 
below  the  water  level  to  contain  the  ore.) 

Third — The  best  ore  deposits  are  known  to  occur  in  synclinal  basins,  either 
at  the  bottom  or  along  the  sides  of  such  basins.  It  is  wise,  then,  to  select 
an  area  which  has  this  peculiar  synclinal  structure.  If  below  any  partic- 
ular synclinal  there  is  a  considerable  thickness  of  oil-rock,  then  the  chances 
here  are  still  better,  for  the  oil  rock  seems  to  have  played  an  important 
part  in  the  formation  of  these  basins  as  well  as  an  important  part  in  the 
formation  of  the  crevices  and  in  the  precipitation  of  the  ores. 

Prospecting  should  be  carried  on  by  the  nse  of  the  churn  drill,  the 
formation  being  too  loose  to  permit  the  use  of  a  diamond  drill ;  the  holes 
should  be  sunk  to  the  oil-rock  and  careful  records  kept  of  the  levations 
at  which  the  oil-rock  is  found.  It  is  not  a  bad  practice  to  sink  every 
fifth  or  tenth  hole  through  the  glass-rock. 

It  is  impossible  to  map  the  oil-rock  horizon  at  this  time  because  of 
the  lack  of  exposures  and  records.  The  top  of  the  flinty  beds  of  the 
Galena  dolomite  shows  marked  changes  in  elevation  from  point  to  point, 
yet  it  is  not  known  that  these  correspond  to  similar  changes  in  the  oil- 
rock.  But  if  a  company  prospecting  this  area  keep  accurate  logs  of  the 
holes  sunk  and  plat  them  carefully,  it  will  be  possible  to  work  out  the 
oil-rock  structure  and  predict  to  a  certain  extent  the  more  favorable  posi- 
tions for  the  occurrence  of  ore. 


FUTURE  MINING. 

The  renewed  interest  in  mining  since  the  rise  in  the  price  of  lead  and 
zinc  seems  to  assure  this  district  a  thorough  test.  So  far,  with  very 
little  exception,  the  lead  mined  here  has  been  taken  entirely  from  the 
"dry."  In  none  of  the  large  producing  areas  of  the  upper  Mississippi 
Valley  region  has  ore  been  found  in  the  "dry"  and  not  in  the  "wet."  In 
prospecting  for  zinc  it  is  a  well  known  practice  to  choose  those  areas 
which  have  been  large  producers  of  lead  in  the  "dry." 

"The  chances  are,i  as  has  been  stated  above,  that  a  range  which  has  borne 
considerable  quantities  of  these  materials  in  its  upper  part  will  continue  to 
bear  large  quantities  in  its  lower  part,  the  main  difference  being  that  be- 
low the  level  of  ground  water  there  will  be  less  lead,  practically  no  smith- 
sonite,  and  probably  much  sphalerite.  Thus,  selection  should  be  made  of 
an  area  in  which  there  is  below  the  level  of  ground  water  a  considerable 
thickness  of  rock  which  may  carry  ore." 

So  far  the  ore  mined  has  been  entirely  that  of  lead  which  carried 
but  slight  traces  of  zinc  blende.  Some  of  the  doe])er  mines  and  the  drill 
holes  on  the  north  pitch  of  the  Skene  mine  are  reported  as  showing  in- 
creasing amounts  of  blende,  which  is  in  accord  with  what  has  been  found 
in  other  districts.  The  Galena  dolomite  is  exceptionally  porous  at  this 
place,  the  water  circulation  active,  and  the  water  table  low;  three  things 


> Grant,  U.  S.,  Lead  and  zinc  deposits  of  Wisconsin,  Bull.  XIV,  Wis.  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey, 
p.  85. 


coxj  THE   ELIZABETH    AREA.  41 

wliicli  preclude  the  occurrence  of  sphalerite  in  the  upper  levels.  It  seems 
certain  that  below  the  level  of  permanent  water  the  dolomite  will  become 
more  firm  and  compact  and  subject  to  clean  cut  fractures  such  as  fiats 
and  pitches^  which  have  already  been  shown  to  be  present  in  the  Skene 
and  Wishon  mines.  These  lower  levels  have  never  been  properly  tested. 
Apparently,  then,  the  structural  conditions  and  precedent  are  favor- 
able to  the  occurrence  of  spalerite  in  the  lower  levels,  so  that  if  it  is  not 
present  it  would  be  natural  to  think  that  this  must  be  due  to  the  lack 
of  original  zinc  to  be  concentrated.  But  according  to  both  theories  of 
origin,  that  of  Bain  or  the  one  advanced  in  this  report,  the  result  is 
favorable,  for  the  district  has  been  shown  to  be  underlain  by  the  oil-rock, 
and  to  have  been  overlain  by  the  Maquoketa  shale,  part  of  which  still  re- 
mains and  which  contains  zinc  ore.  Numerous  persons  have  reported  ths 
finding  of  sphalerite  in  these  shales  at  this  noint  and  the  author  has  in 
his  possession  at  the  present  time  some  sphalerite  found  by  Mr.  Joe  Ash- 
more  at  the  Chicago  Great  Western  Eailroad  cut  east  of  Elizabeth. 


42  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


OIL  RESOURCES  OF   ILLINOIS  WITH   SPECIAL 

REFERENCE  TO  THE  AREA  OUTSIDE 

THE  SOUTHEASTERN  FIELDS. 

(By  Raymond  S.  Blatchley  ) 


Contents. 

Page. 

Introduction 45 

Object  of  report 45 

Methods  of  study 46 

Acknowledgments 47 

Historical  review 47 

Origin  and  accumulation  of  oil : 51 

Origin  of  oil 51 

The  inorganic  theory 51 

The  organic  theory 52 

Circulation  and  accumulation  of  oil ,"3 

General  considerations   f 3 

The  porous  stratum 55 

Impervious  cover 55 

Geologic  structure 55 

Water  saturation 57 

Application  of  theories  to  the  Illinois  fields 57 

General  geology  of  Illinois  relating  to  oil  and  gas 59 

Introduction 19 

Stratigraphy 59 

Areal  extent  of  the  formations  and  oil  sands 62 

Structure 66 

Detailed  geology  of  central  and  southern  Illinois 67 

General  statement 67 

Cross-section  A-A 67 

Logs ^ 68 

Stratigraphy 84 

Structure 86 

The  key  horizon  or  No.  6  coal 87 

Bridgeport  sands 88 

Pottsville  sands 88 

The  Chester  formations 89 

Conclusion 89 

Cross-section  B-B .- 89 

Logs 90 

Stratigraphy  and  structure 96 

Conclusion .- 97 

Cross-section  C-C - 98 

Logs 98 

Stratigraphy 108 


BLATCHLEYJ                               ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES.  43 

Contents — Continued . 

Pagf. 

Structure 110 

No.  6  coal 110 

Pottsville  sands Ill 

The  Chester  formations Ill 

Conclusion Ill 

Cross-section  D-D Ill 

Logs Ill 

Stratigraphy 114 

Structure 114 

Conclusion 114 

Cross-section  E-E 114 

Logs 115 

Stratigraphy 125 

Structure 125 

Conclusion 1  v.s 

Summary '. 128 

Stratigraphy 128 

Structure 129 

Prospected  and  prospective  territory 129 

General  statement 1 29 

Marion  County 130 

Location  and  history  of  the  field 130 

Geology  of  the  area 132 

Cross-section  A-A' 132 

Cross-section  B-B' 134 

Stratigraphy 137 

Structure lid 

Special  features  affecting  oil  and  gas  accumulation 143 

Prospective  territorj^ 146 

Randolph  County 146 

Location  and  history  of  the  field 146 

Geology  of  the  area 147 

Sparta  cross-section  A-A' 147 

Sparta  cross-section  B-B' I'O 

Stratigraphy ! . . .  153 

Structure 154 

Special  features  affecting  oil  and  gas  accumulation 156 

Prospective  territory 157 

The  Carllnville  gas  area 157 

Pre-Carboniferous  oil  areas 161 

Area  of  the  LaSalle  anticline 165 

Promising  area>  of  general  cross-section- 167 

Cross-section  A-A 167 

Cross-section  B-B 168 

Cross-section  C-C 168 

Cross-section  D-D 169 

Cross-section  E-E 19 

Structural  features  of  quadrangle  maps 169 

Miscellaneous  areas 172 

The  Duquoin-Sandoval  terrace 172 

Fayette  County 172 

Shelby  County 172 

Bond  County 173 

Morgan  County 173 

Gallatin  County 174 

Jefferson  County 174 

Jersey  County 175 


44  YEAE-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [BULL.  NO.  16 

Contents — Concluded. 

PAGE. 

Madison  County 175 

Macoupin  County 176 

White  County ' 176 

Wabash  County 176 

Conchsion , 176 

Plates. 

6.  Map  of  Illinois  showing  oil  fields  cross-section  lines,  position  of  stnictural  terraces  and  of  the 

LaSalle  anticline 46 

7.  General  cross-section,  A-A,  from  ?t.  Louis,  Mo.  to  Vincennes,  Ind Pocket 

8.  General  cross-section,  B-B,  from  Belleville  to  Equality,  111 Pocket 

9.  General  cross-section,  C-C,  from  New  Athens  to  Eldorado,  111 Pocket 

10.  General  cross-section,  D-D,  from  Marion  to  Salem,  111 Pocket 

11.  General  cross-section,  E-E,  from  Beardstown  to  the  Indiana  state  line Pocket 

12.  Marion  County  cross-section,  A-A',  from  Centralia  to  Patoka 132 

13.  Marion  County  cross-section,  B-B',  along  an  east-west  line  through  the  oil  field 134 

14.  A  coal-contour  map  showing  geologic  structure  and  development  in  the  Marion  County  oil 

fields 142 

15.  Randolph  County  cross-section,  A-A',  from  Schulines  to  Coulterville 152 

16.  Randolph  County  cross-section,  B-B',  from  Tilden  to  Sparta 164 

17.  A  coal-contour  map  showing  geologic  structure  and  development  in  the  Sparta  field 156 

18.  The  Carlinville  gas  area  and  cross-section,  A-B 158 

Figures. 

1.  Sketch  of  condition  of  oil  and  gas  accumulation  in  Marion  County 144 

2.  Sketch  of  fault  and  oil  seep  in  Marion  County 145 


BLATCHi.EY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  45 


INTEODUCTION. 

Object  of  the  Report. 

This  report  is  prepared  in  response  to  many  inquiries  received  by  the 
Survey  within  the  last  two  years  relative  to  the  conditions  and  localities 
favorable  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas.  They  have  been,  chiefly, 
questions  regarding  locations  of  structural  features,  such  as  anticlinal 
folds.  In  other  instances,  however,  they  have  referred  to  the  dips  of  the 
coals,  to  oil  seeps,  to  depths  of  oil  sands,  etc.  This  general  review  of 
Illinois  geology  as  applied  to  petroleum  has  special  reference  to  the  terri- 
tory outside  the  main  oil  fields,  and  chiefly  south  of  an  east-west  line 
through  Springfield  and  Decatur.  The  object  is  to  discuss  the  theories 
of  oil  and  gas  accumulation  with  special  reference  to  structural  folds  of 
the  rocks ;  then,  to  describe  the  significant  structural  features  of  Illinois ; 
and  finally,  to  suggest  attractive  territory  for  prospecting  operators. 

Because  of  the  small  number  of  complete  well  records  available  in  the 
Avide  area  of  scattered  drilling,  the  scope  of  this  paper  is  limited,  and 
very  different  from  the  report  on  the  main  field  wdiich  will  be  published 
in  the  near  future.  The  latter  will  be  an  intimate  study  of  the  southern 
half  of  the  present  productive  area  and  will  be  based  upon  the  correlation 
of  about  5,000  well  records.  The  report  will  be  accompanied  by  several 
detailed  contour  maps  showing  the  local  structural  conditions  for  each  oil 
horizon.  A  chapter  will  also  describe  the  commercial  features  of  the 
Illinois  fields,  including  production,  costs,  methods  of  transportation  and 
storage,  field  operations,  leasing,  etc.  The  present  report,  it  is  hoped, 
wdll  appeal  at  once  to  numerous  land  owners  and  to  oil  operators 
throughout  the  State. 

Prospectors  in  the  immense  expanse  of  flat  temtory  west  of  the  main 
fields  are  at  a  disadvantage  because  it  is  so  covered  Avith  drifts  as  to  con- 
ceal the  sequence  of  formations  and  practically  all  evidence  of  folding 
and  faulting.  Thus,  the  choice  of  well  sites  by  the  first  pioneers  was  a 
matter  of  conjecture  and  naturally  Avas  unsatisfactory  in  the  majority  of 
cases.  Most  operators  kncAv  the  features  of  the  main  field.  The  varietA- 
of  conditions  found  in  the  movement  from  the  shallow  fields  of  Clark 
County  to  the  deep  Avells  of  LaAvrence  County  Avas  their  guide  for  pros- 
pecting in  territory  north,  AA^est  and  south  of  the  main  oil  field.  They 
knew  the  relative  positions  of  the  Casey,  Robinson,  Bridgeport  and  Bu- 
chanan sands ;  and  also  the  underlying  limestones  and  characteristic 
rod  rock  accompanying  the  wide-spread  KirkAvood  sand.  The  operators 
kncAv  also  that  the  main  field  is  Avholly  limited  to  a  long,  narrow,  area 


46  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  '  [bull.  no.  16 

that  lies  along  and  is  controlled  by,  the  crest  and  flanks  of  the  La  Salk^ 
anticline.  This  fold,  ,as  approximately  shown  by  the  Survey/  occurs 
along  a  line  running  just  east  of  La  Salle,  Illinois,  in  a  southeastward 
direction  to  Sadorous,  in  Champaign  County,  and  thence  to  St.  Francis- 
ville  in  Lawrence  County  and  on  into  Indiana.  (See  Plate  6.)  Eeason- 
ing  from  known  conditions  in  certain  other  fields,  operators  hoped  to  find 
a  second  parallel  anticline,  west  of  the  productive  field.  Drilling,  how- 
ever, failed  to  find  such  a  fold  and  continued  prospecting  became  even 
more  uncertain. 

With  these  conditions  recognized,  it  seems  desirable  to  make  geological 
studies  of  practical  assistance  to  the  operator,  so  he  can  locate  his  wells 
with  as  little  guess  work  as  possible.  Thus  the  attempt  is  made  to  lead 
the  future  exploration  to  those  sections  of  Illinois  where  the  conditions 
seem  particularly  favorable  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas;  namely, 
to  the  structural  terraces  and  minor  anticlines.  In  conjunction  with  this 
v/ork  it  is  necessary  to  secure  complete  records  and  elevations  above  sea 
level  of  drill  holes  and  mine  shafts.  Knowledge  of  the  positions  of  the 
the  coals  is  required  in  order  best  to  determine  oil  structure.  While  the 
records  of  coal  prospects  and  mine  shafts  are  reliable  and  extremely  help- 
ful, the  oil  operator  as  yet  has  paid  little  attention  to  the  coals  passed 
through.  All  operators  and  drillers  are  urged  to  note  the  positions  of 
the  coals,  both  as  a  source  of  knowledge  to  themselves  in  locating  future 
well  sites,  and  as  an  assistance  to  the  Survey  whose  duty  it  is  to  work  out 
the  geological  problems  of  the  oil  industry.  We  lack  records  of  many 
wells  which  have  been  drilled  within  the  State.  We  urge  oil  operators 
to  further  our  work  by  giving  us  copies  of  their  records  for  study  and 
premanent  filing.  Our  ability  to  make  helpful  suggestions  depends 
on  well  records  and,  therefore,  on  the  assistance  of  operators  and  drillers. 

Methods  of  Study. 

The  plan  selected  for  studying  drill  records,  so  as  to  learn  the  distri- 
bution of  oil  sands  and  the  general  structure  of  the  State^  was  the  familiar 
graphic  method  which  has  resulted  in  Plates  7  to  11.  Some  of  these 
sections  run  crosswise  of  the  basin  while  others  trend  lengthwise  or 
diagonally.  The  records  along  the  selected  lines  were  plotted  to  a  uni- 
form scale  and  were  placed  at  their  proper  positions  along  the  section, 
with  regard  both  to  the  elevation  of  the  wells  above  sea  level  and  to 
their  linear  distance  from  one  another.  After  all  the  records  were 
placed,  correlation  lines  were  drawn  between  corresponding  formation  in 
adjoining  records.  Thus,  a  mechanical  means  of  ascertaining  structural 
features  was  developed  and  significant  facts  were  revealed.  It  was  shown 
clearly  that  Coal  'No.  6,  locally  called  No.  7,  is  the  most  important  key 
rock  in  central  and  southern  Illinois.  The  sections  indicate  the  dip  of 
this  coal,  from  place  to  place,  and  sliow  that  the  lower  rocks  are  approxi- 
mately parallel  to  it.  Should  any  significant  structure  be  revealed  in 
the  position  of  the  key  horizon,  therefore,  it  is  assumed  that  the  same 
general  condition  will  be  found  in  lower  formations. 


^Weller, Stuart,  Map  showing  oil  and  gas  occu'enees  in  Illinois  with  principal  lines  of  deformation: 
Bull.  ni.  Geol.  Survey  No.  2,  1906,  p.  23. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SU  R\EY 


BULL.  NO.  It),  PLATE  ti. 


Map  of  Illinois  showing  oil  fields,  cross-section  lines,  position  of  structural  terraces  and  of  the  LaSalle 

anticline. 


blatchleyj  illinois  oil  resources.  4< 

Acknowledgements. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  cross-sections,  the  writer  had  the  valuable 
assistance  of  Mr.  Jon  Udden,  of  the  Survey,  who  was  especially  familiar 
with  the  coal  formations  because  of  personal  study  of  mine  data  and 
coal  records.  Use  has  been  made  of  similar  data  collected  by  Messrs. 
T.  E.  Savage,  G.  H.  Cady  and  E.  W.  Shaw  in  detailed  surveys  of  the 
Herrin,  West  Frankfort  and  Murphysboro  quadrangles.  Much  help  with 
geological  interpretation  has  Ijeen  given  by  other  members  of  the  Survey 
and  published  and  unpublished  data  have  been  freely  used.  The  work 
would  not  have  been  possible  except  for  the  cooperation  of  various 
operators  who  furnished  well  records  and  other  information.  To  all  of 
these  individuals  the  writer  expresses  his  appreciation  and  thanks. 


HISTORICAL  REVIEW. 

In  the  main  oil  fields  of  Illinois,  exclusive  of  producing  areas  elsewhere, 
there  have  been  drilled,  during  the  past  five  years,  over  16,000  wells  in 
a  producing  territory  which  covers  about  240  square  miles.  The  follow- 
ing notes  sketch  the  history  of  drilling  from  the  earliest  days. 

In  the  earlier  part  of  the  '^sixties,'^  the  first  oil  excitement  spread  over 
the  eastern  United  States  and  extended  westward  to  Illinois.  In  1865 
th  first  wild-catting  took  place  in  Clark  County  about  8  miles  north  of 
Casey,  in  Parker  township.  Here,  several  holes  were  put  down  in  at- 
tempts to  locate  oil  and  gas  but  the  work  was  abandoned.  The  small 
amount  of  oil  found  in  the  wells  perhaps  would  have  been  greater  had 
proper  casing  been  used.  This  would  have  shut  off  the  salt  water,  which, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  probably  drowned  out  the  oil  and  prevented  an  earlier 
discovery  of  the  present  immense  field. 

About  this  time,  oil  and  gas  were  found  accidentally  in  Montgomery 
County,  near  Litchfield.  Coal  prospecting  from  the  floor  of  one  of  the 
mines  led  to  deeper  drilling  and  the  discovery  of  a  strong  flow  of  salt 
water  which  threatened  for  a  time  to  flood  the  mine.  Another  coal 
prospect  near  the  mine  discovered  a  small  quantity  of  oil  and  gas.  The 
oil  and  water  from  this  drill  hole  leaked  into  a  sump  in  the  mine,  where 
for  many  years  oil  was  skimmed  from  the  top  of  the  water  and  utilized. 

During  the  "eighties,"  when  new  prosj^ecting  was  taking  place  at 
various  points  in  Illinois,  the  previous  finding  of  oil  at  Litchfield  led  to 
renewed  drilling  which  brought  in  several  gas  wells  in  that  vicinitv.  In 
1882  a  well  was  found  about  2  miles  south  of  Litchfield,  which  was  re- 
ported to  produce  about  400  pounds  gas  pressure.  This  well  was  appar- 
ently first  drilled  to  580  feet  without  success.  Two  years  later  it  was 
drilled  200  feet  deeper,  where  water  bearing  sand  was  tapped.  The  gas 
was  secured  at  640  feet  and  had  exceptional  pressure.  The  flow  of  salt 
water,  however,  was  too  strong  to  be  plugged  successfully  and,  conse- 
quently, drowned  out  the  gas.  In  1886  a  number  of  wells  that  yielded 
both  gas  and  oil  were  drilled  in  the  vicinity  of  Litchfield,  to  an  average 
depth  of  about  650  feet.     In  all,  between  "the  years  of  1882  and  1889. 


48  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

about  thirty  wells  were  drilled.^  The  majority  of  them  were  of  short 
Jife  but  five  or  six  produced  a  small  amount  of  oil  up  to  the  year  1903. 
All  are  abandoned  at  the  present  time. 

Gas  was  discovered  in  Pike  County  in  1886  while  drilling  for  water 
in  the  N.  W.  ^^  S.  E.  1/4  section  1,  l)erry  township.  It  was  found  at  a 
depth  of  186  feet.^  This  destroyed  chances  of  a  good  water  supply  so 
a  second  well  was  drilled  on  the  same  farm  a  short  while  afterwards. 
Gas  was  secured  in  this  well  at  the  lesser  depth  of  168  feet.  Both 
wells  w^ere  abandoned  because  of  lack  of  facilities  for  taking  care  of  the 
gas.  Drilling  was  then  suspended  in  this  part  of  the  State  for  15  years^ 
or  until  1905.  ]n  that  year  Mr.  William  Trick  drilled  a  well  for  water 
on  his  farm  and^  as  in  the  previous  cases^  met  a  strong  flow  of  gas.  He, 
however,  piped  it  to  his  house  for  domestic  use.  There  immediately 
followed  a  development  of  this  area,  which,  in  a  little  over  a  year, 
brought  in  over  thirty  wells.  All  but  six  of  these  produced  gas,  but  no 
oil  was  found.  The  gas  horizons  are  between  75  and  350  feet  below  the 
surface.  The  field  at  the  present  time  covers  an  area  about  10  miles 
long  and  4  miles  wide.  The  gas  accumulation  is  governed  by  a  small  fold 
in  the  Niagara  limestone. 

Similar  prospecting  took  place  in  1888  near  Sparta  in  Randolph  Coun- 
ty. Home  capital  was  enlisted  and  a  well  that  yielded  a  good  pressure  of 
gas^  w^as  drilled  to  a  depth  of  850  feet.  This  encouraged  further  drilling 
and  up  to  the  year  1894,  22  wells  were  put  down.  Of  there,  over 
twelve  yielded  gas,  and  four  of  them  had  initial  pressures  between  150 
and  250  pounds  to  the  square  inch.  The  average  life  of  the  wells  was 
about  seven  years.    Later  development  of  the  field  is  mentioned  on  p.  50. 

The  next  recorded  wild-catting  took  place  in  1900  and  indirectly  re- 
sulted in  the  discovery  of  the  main  oil  field.  A  company  styled  the 
Crawford  County  Oil,  Gas  and  Coal  Company  drilled  a  well  in  the  S.  E. 
1/4  section  35,  Robinson  township,  Crawford  county."^  The  well  reached  a 
depth  of  820  feet  where  it  was  abandoned  because  of  the  caving  of  the 
strata  and  the  tapping  of  a  strong  vein  of  salt  water.  The  same  company 
shifted  operations  in  the  following  year,  1901,  to  the  D.  C.  Jones  farm  in 
the  southwest  quarter  of  section  22,  of  the  same  township.  A  well  drilled 
here  to  a  depth  of  1,040  feet  secured  a  small  amount  of  gas.  Thus,  the 
efforts  of  the  company  to  locate  "fue?^  were  rewarded  slightly  and  with 
further  hope,  they  drilled  to  1,190  feet.  At  this  point  they  met  a  strong 
vein  of  salt  water  and  abandoned  the  well.  The  company  attempted  other 
wells  on  the  same  farm  in  the  years  1901,  1902  and  1903,  but,  in  each 
case,  lost  their  tools.  The  sixth  attempt  was  rewarded,  in  1904,  by  the 
finding  of  small  amounts  of  oil  and  gas  between  900  and  1,200  feet.  The 
bore  was  carried  to  1,330  feet  hut  was  abandoned.  It  was  but  eighteen 
months  after  this  that  the  main  productive  field  Avas  opened  up  within 
a  few  miles  of  this  area. 

The  suggestion  of  an  oil  field  in  the  vicinity  of  Casey  prompted  by  the 
earlier  prospecting  of  the  ^'^sixties,^^  led  Col.  L.  D.  Carter  of  Oakland, 


'Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States  for  1889,  p.  353. 

'•^Savage,  T.  E.,  Pike  County  ras  field:    Bull.  111.  Geol.  Survey  No.  2,  1906,  p.  83. 

^Report  Illinois  Board  W^orld's  Fair  Commissioners,  1893,  p.  183. 

^Blatchley,  W.  S.,  Oil  developments  in  Illinois  to  1904:    Bull.  111.  Geol.  Survey  No.  2,  1906,  p.  14. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  49 

Illinois,  to  secure  the  services  of  J.  J.  Hoblitzell  &  Son  of  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  in  re-drilling  this  area.  A  large  block  of  leases  was  gathered  up  and 
early  in  the  spring  of  1904  a  well  was  started  on  the  Young  farm  near 
Oilfield.  This  well  produced  a  good  pressure  of  gas  and  some  oil. .  The 
gas  was  cased  off  and  used  for  field  operations  but  the  oil  yield  was  in- 
significant and  was  discarded.  A  second  well  was  completed  in  the  same 
year  on  the  J.  S.  Phillips  farm  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  18, 
Parker  Township.  It  produced  35  barrels  of  oil.  Other  wells  were  start- 
ed in  the  same  year  in  this  vicinity  and  in  1905  about  100  square  miles 
of  territory  was  being  drilled.  Of  this  about  60  square  miles  were 
eventually  found  productive.  These  fields  are  called  the  •'shallow'"  area 
because  the  oil  comes  from  a  depth  of  between  400  and  603  feet.  Drilling 
was  active  until  1909,  when  the  boundaries  of  the  productive  territory 
for  this  section  of  the  oil  fields  were  pretty  well  established.  In  1909 
there  was  a  decreasing  development  and  at  the  present  time  it  has  prac- 
tically ceased.  A  great  many  of  the  original  wells  are  yielding  so  poorly 
that  they  are  rapidly  being  plugged  and  abandoned. 

Added  vigor  was  given  to  the  development  of  the  Eastern  Illinois 
fields  in  1906,  when  D.  T.  Finley,  of  Pittsburgh,  drilled  a  well  on  the 
J.  W.  Shire  farm  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  15,  Oblong  Township, 
Crawford  County.  The  oil  was  obtained  at  890  feet,  and  the  initial  pro- 
duction was  250  barrels  per  day.  This  well  opened  up  the  Eobinson  pool, 
Avhich  is  the  largest  in  the  oil  area  and  covers,  in  all,  about  110  square 
miles  of  productive  territory.  The  oil  is  found  in  sands  ranging  from 
150  to  925  feet  in  depth.  There  is  one  general  sand  made  up  of  three 
distinct  and  generally  parallel  lenses.  There  are,  however,  small  areas 
where  only  two  lenses  are  noted. 

The  year  1907  brought  an  extension  of  development  in  a  small 
isolated  pool  about  three  miles  to  the  southeast  of  the  large  Robinson 
pool.  The  new  pool  was  known  first  as  the  Honey  Creek  district  and 
originally  covered  but  six  or  seven  square  miles.  It  has  later  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  Flat  Rock  district  lo  the  east  and  the  two  are  practically 
joined,  so  as  to  comprise  about  25  square  miles  of  area.  To  the  north 
of  the  Flat  Rock  area  the  small  Duncanville  pool  was  develoj^ed.  The 
area  covered  is  between  two  and  three  square  miles.  The  oil  is  from  about 
the  same  horizon  as  that  of  the  Honey  Creek,  Flat  Rock,  and  Robinson 
sands  but  has  a  much  lower  gravitv.  It  is  used  almost  exclusivelv  foL' 
fuel. 

The  Lawrence  County  field  began  to  be  developed  actively  in  1907- 
1908.  It  has  been  the  most  promising,  in  that  seven  sands  are  attracting 
the  attention  of  operators.  The  sands  occur  between  depths  of  800  and 
1,950  feet  and  are  known  as  follows : 

1,  2  and  3.     Bridgeport,  upper  lens,  middle  lens  and  lower  lens. 

4.  Buchanan. 

5.  Kirk  wood. 

6.  Tracy. 

7.  McClosk5\ 

—1   G 


50  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Within  this  area,  which  covers  about  40  square  miles,  there  has  been 
developed  a  larger  per  cent  of  big  wells  than  in  all  of  the  other  pools  com- 
bined. 

After  the  Clark  County  field  was  brought  in  miscellaneous  drilling 
was  stimulated  throughout  the  State  as  indicated  by  the  following  notes : 

A  second  attempt  (see  p.  48)  was  made  to  discover  oil  in  the  vicinity 
of  Sparta,  Illinois.  J.  J.  Hoblitzell  &  Son  began  drilling  there  in  190G, 
and  as  a  result  two  or  three  wells  that  produced  oil  in  a  small  quantity 
were  completed  in  the  following  year.  In  1908  a  total  of  sixteen  wells 
had  been  drilled  but  of  these  only  six  or  seven  yielded  oil.  The  amounts 
were  small,  except  in  the  case  of  two  wells,  one  on  the  Foster  farm  that 
yielded  about  twenty  barrels  of  oil  per  day,  and  one  on  the  Mcllroy  farm 
that  had  an  initial  production  of  about  100  barrels.  All  the  wells  have 
since  declined  until  the  field  is  all  but  abandoned. 

In  1906  an  attempt  Avas  made  to  locate  oil  at  Tolono  in  Champaign 
County.  The  drilling  revealed  oil,  but  only  in  slight  quantity.  Appar- 
ently it  was  the  intention  to  strike  the  La  Salle  anticline  which  gives 
rise  to  the  productive  area  to  the  southwest.  As  mentioned  elsewhere, 
this  fold  probably  occurs  a  few  miles  to  the  west  of  Tolono. 

Early  in  the  year  1908,  oil  was  reported  to  be  seeping  through  a  fault 
into  a  coal  mine  near  Centralia,  Marion  County.  The  attention  of  oil 
operators  was  attracted  and  several  shallow  wells  were  drilled.  These 
yielded  small  amounts  of  oil  and  were  of  slight  commercial  value.  Wild- 
catting  was  prompted  in  the  winter  of  1909  in  the  vicinity  of  Sandoval, 
five  miles  north  of  the  Centralia  shallow  wells.  Late  in  March,  a  deep 
well  which  yielded  about  thirty  barrels  per  day  was  completed  upon  the 
Stein  farm,  one  mile  north  of  Sandoval.  A  second  well  was  finished  in 
July  on  the  Benoist  farm,  adjoining  the  Stein  land.  This  well  proved 
to  be  a  valuable  producer  of  both  oil  and  gas.  Its  success  stimulated 
wholesale  leasing  in  all  directions  in  Marion  County.  Several  wells 
were  soon  drilled  but  the  majority  of  them  were  dry.  The  producing 
area,  so  far  as  indicated  by  subsequent  drilling,  lies  in  a  north  and  south 
direction.  Details  of  the  Marion  County  field  are  given  on  pages  130 
to  146. 

A  new  gas  area  was  opened  in  1909  near  Carlinville,  Macoupin  County, 
by  Mr.  Thomas  Rinaker,  who  drilled  five  wells  south  of  that  town.  The 
gas  comes  from  a  sandstone  that  is  devoid  of  oil  and  water.  The  detaib 
are  mentioned  on  pages  157  to  161. 

Various  other  attempts  have  been  made  to  find  oil  at  widely  separated 
])oint.=>.  Small  amounts  of  oil  or  gas  have  been  observed  in  such  localities  as 
Mascoutah,  Marissa,  Waverly,  Greenville,  Decatur,  lola  and  Eldorado. 
Barren  wells  have  been  put  down  at  Herrick,  Cobden,  the  American 
Bottoms  east  of  St.  Louis,  Trenton,  Aviston,  luka,  Olney,  Sumner,  Al- 
bion, Patton,  Carmi,  Duquoin,  Pinckneyville,  Coulterville,.  Vandalia, 
Marshall,  Thomasboro,  Grafton,  Jerseyville,  Kane  and  at  a  number  of 
other  places.  Little  attention  is  paid  in  this  report  to  the  presence  of 
gas  at  such  points  as  Champaign,  Princeton,  Colchester,  Wapella  and 
other  points,  where  it  comes  from  shallow  depths  in  the  Pleistocene  or 
drift  deposits.    The  relations  are  described  on  page  60. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  01 

OKIGIN  AXD  ACCUMULATIOX  OF  OIL. 

OitiGix  OF  Oil. 

The  origiu  of  oil  and  gas  has  been  a  puzzling  problem  for  many  years, 
especially  since  petroleum  has  come  into  world-wide  use.  Chemists  and 
geologists  have  attacked  the  problem  from  their  respective  points  of  view 
and  have  presented  plausible  theories^  none  of  which,  however,  have 
explained  satisfactorily  the  broad  distribution  of  petroleum  in  all  kinds 
of  sedimentary  rocks  of  various  ages. 

The  chemist  has  produced  many  of  the  component  parts  of  petroleum 
in  the  laboratory;  he  has  broken  down  certain  substances  into  constitu- 
ents, some  of  which  have  properties  resembling  those  of  crude  petroleum ; 
and  he  even  reproduced  certain  isometric  forms  of  hydrocarbons  peculiar 
to  petroleum — yet  the  theories  arising  from  these  results  fail  to  meet 
certain  geological  conditions  that  prohibit  their  acceptance. 

Geologists  have  met  the  problem  from  a  different  point  of  view.  Some, 
on  the  one  hancL  have  considered  the  conditions  of  deposition  of  sedi- 
"mentary  rocks  and  have  concluded  that  oil  and  gas  originate  from  animal 
and  plant  life  buried  in  the  sediments.  Others  have  conjectured  on  the 
internal  conditions  of  the  earth  during  its  stages  of  cooling  and  settling 
and  have  concluded  that  oil  originated  from  mineral  substances.  This 
attitude  is  closely  allied  to  the  chemist's  point  of  view.  The  geologist's 
views  are  not  wholly  acceptable  and  hence  the  origin  of  petroleum  re- 
mains uncertain.  The  whole  problem  has  resolved  itself  into  two  general 
theories  styled  the  inorganic  and  the  organic. 

THE   IXORGAXIC    THEORY. 

The  inorganic  theory  was  promoted  by  the  discovery  that  the  carbides 
of  certain  metals  may  be  broken  up  into  hydrocarbons  by  the  action  of 
water  and  that  alkaline  metals  produce  hydrocarbons  if  brought  into  con- 
tact with  water  saturated  with  carlx)n  dioxide  gas.  It  was  claimed  that 
volcanoes,  geysers,  and  hot  springs  indicate  heat  within  the  interior  of 
the  earth  sufficient  to  have  formed  carbides;  and  that  these  were 
broken  up  by  percolating  waters  into  migrating  gases.  The  presence  of 
hydrocarbons  in  volcanic  gases  may  thus  be  explained.  Such  migrat- 
ing gases  on  passing  from  hot  formations  to  higher,  cooler,  strata  would 
naturally  be  condensed  into  petroleum. 

It  is  claimed  that  granitic  rocks  are  full  of  cleavage  planes  and  thus 
it  is  impossible  for  the  gas  and  oil  to  remain  in  them  because  of  the 
ease  with  which  they  travel  and  diffuse.  When  the  shales  are  reached  the 
oil  "simplifies"'  itself  or,  in  other  terms,  it  leaves  more  or  less  of  its  more 
viscuous  constituents  behind.  It  is  claimed  that  the  oil  of  various  Ameri- 
can fields,  with  the  exception  of  mch  as  California  and  Texas,  has  migrat- 
ed from  a  distance  to  those  localities  where  they  now  are  found.  The 
fact  that  all  oil  fields  are  confined  to  sedimentary  strata  and  that  below 
the  oil-bearing  horizons  there  frequently  are  unproductive  strata  of  the 
same  nature  makes  it  difficult  to  understand  how  the  inorganic  theory 
can  apply  to  our  larger  fields.     It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  such 


52  YEAK-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [BULL.  NO.  16 

Holds  as  those  of  Pciuisylvaiiia  and  Illinois  can  have  migrated  long 
distances  and  not  leave  traces  of  travel  in  the  intervening  rocks.  It  is 
apparent  that  the  inorganic  tlieor}^  of  the  origin  of  oil  and  gas  is  open  to 
many  criticisms.  The  theories  derived  from  chemical  reactions  are  in- 
genious and,  no  doubt,  may  explain  the  origin  of  some  petroleum;  they 
do  not,  however,  apply  to  the  conditions  of  oni-  many  oil  fields  as  readily 
as  the  organic  theories. 

TllK  0]{GAN1C  TUEOUY. 

The  organic  theory  advocates  that  oil  and  gas  originate  from  the  de- 
composition of  vegetable  or  animal  matter.  The  original  form  of  life 
may  be  animal  or  vegetable  or  both.  The  decompiosition  may  occur  in 
the  bed  which  now  yields  oil  or  gas,  or  it  may  have  been  in  adjoining- 
beds  from  which  it  has  migrated. 

Chemists  have  shown  that  when  tlie  body  of  an  animal  or  a  plant  is 
distilled  in  a  closed  retort  or  is  allowed  to  undergo  decay  in  the  absence 
of  air,  certain  gaseous  or  liquid  products  are  obtained,  which  resemble 
i:»etroleum  and  natural  gas.  Much  the  same  results  are  obtained  by  bac- 
teriological putrefaction  of  organic  matter,  without  aid  of  heat.  Natural 
decomposition  of  animal  and  vegetable  matter  in  the  sedimentary  rocks 
through  the  periods  of  geologic  time  is  thought  to  explain  the  origin  of 
})etroleum. 

Shale  is  held  to  be  the  source  of  petroleum  by  some  supporters  of  the 
organic  theory.  All  shale  beds  are  of  sedimentary  origin  and  are  com- 
posed of  fine  particles  of  clay.  The  clay  is  inorganic  and  was  deposited 
in  water  with  plants  and  marine  animal  life.  This  decomposition  was 
varied  by  the  deposition  of  sand,  and  limey  material.  The  completed 
stratified  rocks  comprise  a  succession  of  sandstone  and  limestone,  inter- 
lain  with  shale  beds.  In  some  fields,  as  California,  diatoms  embedded  in 
sliale  are  regarded  as  the  source  of  tlie  oil.  Elsewhere  vegetable  remains, 
even  of  delicate  type,  like  algae,  render  the  enclosing  shale  highly  bitumin- 
ous and  oily.  It  is  thought  that  all  stratified  beds  contained  water  in 
some  degree  and  that  the  shales,  because  of  their  compactness,  had  less 
Avater  than  the  sands.  The  presence  of  water  in  the  formations  may 
have  aided  in  the  later  migration  of  the  oil  from  the  shales  to  the 
sands,  by  providing  a  ready  medium  through  which  the  oil  could  rise 
under  the  influence  of  gravity  to  the  highest  possible  position  in  the  sand 
strata. 

The  limestone  theory  of  the  origin  of  oil  differs  from  the  last  by  sup- 
posing that  marine  animal  life,  peculiar  to  limestone  formations  was  the 
source  of  oil  in  the  sedimentary  rocks.  The  limestone  oils  of  Ohio,  Indi- 
ana, and  ])arts  of  Illinois  are  often  known  as  "sour"  oils,  because  their 
sulphur  and  nitrogen  content  is  greater  than  that  of  oils  found  in  sand 
formations.  They  have  a  ranker  odor  than  other  oils  and  are  often  much 
lighter  in  color;  in  fact,  they  are  sometimes  designated  as  ''green"  oils. 
The  oil  in  the  Mississippian  formations  in  Illionis  may  have  originated 
from  limestone  formations  though  it  is  not  usually  of  the  "sour"  type. 
The  "sour"  oil  district  north  of  Bridgeport  is  an  exception. 


BLATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  58 

Of  the  two  organic  theories  of  the  origin  of  oil,  the  shale  theory 
is  the  more  applicaljle  to  the  pools  in  Pennsylvanian  or  "Coal 
^leasures*^  sands  of  the  Illinois  fields,  for  there  was  undoubtedly  a 
great  abundance  of  plant  life  in  the  waters  of  the  basin  of  southern  and 
central  Illinois.  The  aquatic  plants  were  algae  and  various  types  of  sea 
weeds.  In  addition  to  these,  land  plants  were  washed  down  by  streams 
and  also  marsh  plants,  such  as  ferns,  ground-pine,  etc.  Plants  from  both 
sources  were  deposited  in  the  muds  and  silts  of  the  accumulating  deposits 
of  centuries.  These,  with  possibly  some  marine  life,  were  shut  off  from 
the  oxygen  of  the  air  and  other  destructive  agents  and  were  trapped  within 
the  shale  deposits,  where  eventually,  through  the  lapse  of  geologic  time 
a  peculiar,  slow^,  distillation  took  place,  wherein  the  protoplasm,  carbon, 
and  other  constituents  of  the  once  living  matter,  were  converted  into 
oils  and  gases.  The  distillation  was  a  matter  of  ages  and  the  migration 
of  the  oils  to  more  porous  reservoirs  was  accomplished  in  additional 
periods  of  time.  Natural  gas  is  the  volatilized,  lighter  portion  of  the 
oil  which  originated  according  to  the  process  mentioned.  The  difference 
of  gravity  between  gas,  oil,  and  water  caused  the  two  former  substances 
to  seek  the  highest  places  of  the  accumulating  regions.  The  presence  of 
natural  gas  in  any  area  is  generally  accompanied  by  oil  at  some  point 
along  the  accumulating  structure. 

ClRCUL.\TIOX    AXD    ACCUMULATIOX    OF    OiL. 
GEXER.AL   COXSIDERATIOXS. 

A  problem  of  special  importance  is  the  circulation  of  oil  from  its 
source  and  its  mode  of  accumulation  in  porous  rocks.  The  matter  is 
being  investigated  by  laboratory  method  by  various  scientists.  The  circu- 
lation is  accomplished  by  agents  such  as  capillarity,  gravity,  and  gas  or 
rock  pressure.  The  accumulation  of  oil  requires  a  porous  reservoir  with 
an  impervious  cover  or  roof.  Certain  features  of  geologic  structure 
and  conditions  of  water  saturation  are  important  factors.  The  circula- 
tion, though  at  present  largely  a  matter  of  supposition,  must  be  affected 
by  the  physical  properties  and  relations  of  oil,  salt  water,  and  the  rocks 
in  which  they  occur.  One  of  the  potent  forces  is  doubtless  capillarity, 
since  both  the  shales  and  the  sands  are  porous  formations. 

Capillary  action  is  the  physical  phenomenon  of  the  attraction  or  re- 
pulsion of  liquids  along  the  sides  of  very  fine  passages.  If  a  liquid  of 
low  specific  gravity  is  brought  into  contact  with  a  very  fine  hair-like  tube 
it  will  seemingly  pull  itself  itself  along  the  passages;  while  a  liquid 
of  high  specific  gravity,  such  as  mercury,  possesses  the  tendency  of  re- 
pulsion or  retardation  of  movement.  Capillary  attraction  is  accom- 
panied by  concave  liquid  surfaces  and  capillary  repulsion  by  convex 
liquid  surfaces.  Prof.  A.  \\.  Duff,  of  the  Worcester  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tute of  ^lassachusetts,  discusses  the  effect  of  capillary  repulsion  and 
attraction  as  follows:  "When  the  effect  (of  capillary  action)  is  a  de- 
pression (mercury),  the  depressed  surface  is  curved  downward  and  the 
tension   in   the   surface   provides   a   pressure.      When   the   effect   is   an 


54  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

elevation,  the  stretch  on  the  upward  curved  surface  tends  to  draw  the 
liquid  in  the  surface  layer  away  from  the  liquid  below  and  so  produces 
a  state  of  tension  or  diminution  of  pressure  below  the  surface."  If  a 
difference  of  capillary  strength  is  present  between  water  and  oil  in  small 
tubes,  their  elevation  is  dependent  upon  the  surface  tension,  specific 
gravity,  and  the  size  of  the  tubes. 

Shales  and  sandstones  are  porous  formations  containing  infinite  num- 
bers of  minute  spaces  capable  of  holding  liquid.  The  spaces  or  pores 
may  be  likened  to  capillary  tubes  and  may  be  assumed  under  proper 
conditions  to  promote  capillary  action.  Capillarity  was  perhaps  effective 
upon  the  included  water  of  shales  long  before  the  distillation  of  oil 
began  in  them.  The  action  extended  to  the  oil  which  began  to  originate 
and  find  its  way  into  the  pores  of  the  shale.  Its  production  was  ex- 
ceedingly minute,  yet  it  was  acted  upon  by  capillarity.  The  relation  of 
the  specifiic  gravity  of  oil  and  water  caused  the  oil  to  rise  to  the  top 
of  the  water  and  thus  into  the  sandstones.  It  is  assumed  that  this  action 
continued  as  long  as  distillation  took  place,  until  eventually  the  oil 
had  left  the  shales  to  large  degree  and  had  accumulated  in  the  sand- 
stones. The  action  may  have  been  further  aided  by  various  compressions 
of  the  formations  and  other  unknown  physical  phenomena  until  the 
shales  had  given  up  most  of  their  oil  to  adjoining  porous  sandstones. 

It  is  apparent  that  petroleum  is  greatly  influenced  by  the  presence 
of  water  and  it  is  a  fact  that  there  is  abundant  water  in  the  Illinois 
oil-sands.  The  relation  of  the  specific  gravities  of  oil  and  water  un- 
doubtedly played  an  important  part  in  the  circulation  of  oil.  The 
specific  gravity  of  a  substance  may  be  defined  as  the  relation  between 
its  weight  and  the  weight  of  a  like  volume  of  pure  water.  The  specific 
gravity  of  petroleum  is  less  than  1,  or  in  other  words,  oil  is  lighter  than 
water.  If  both  are  present  the  oil  rests  upon  the  surface  of  water  and 
is  to  that  extent  controlled  by  the  latter.  If  oil  and  water  are  not 
associated,  the  petroleum  moves  downward  along  bedding  planes  and 
through  coarse,  porous  strata  under  force  of  gravity.  In  such  a  case 
it  may  occur  in  pores  at  the  bottom  of  a  syncline. 

A  third  theoretical  agent  of  the  circulation  of  oil  from  its  source  of 
distillation  to  its  present  position  is  perhaps  that  of  gas  pressure  or 
"rock  pressure."  This  pressure  is  always  noticeable  when  a  new  oil  or 
gas-  area  is  opened  up.  The  oil  generally  rises  far  up  into  the  casing 
of  the  new  well  and  often  above  its  mouth.  If  gas  is  present  and  the 
casing  is  closed  so  that  the  product  cannot  escape  into  the  air,  a  pres- 
sure is  developed  inside  of  the  pipe.  This  may  accumulate  instantly 
and  thus  indicate  a  very  porous  reservoir  beneath,  or  it  may  take  con- 
siderable time  to  gather  and  thus  show  a  less  porous  one.  The  two 
conditions  have  often  occurred  in  the  same  locality  and  yet  the  same 
pressures  were  eventually  secured.  It  is  believed  by  the  writer  that  rock 
pressure  is  promoted  by  expansion  of  highly  compressed  liquids  and 
gases  in  passing  from  porous  beds  into  a  cavity.  It  is  thought  that  gas 
pressure  may  help  to  promote  movement  of  oil  through  the  containing 
rocks. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  00 

THE    POROUS    STRATUM. 

Petroleum  was  valueless  as  a  commercial  product  when  it  was  origin- 
ally formed^  loecause  its  diffusion  was  so  complete  that  a  bore  into  the 
containing  rock  could  scarcely  have  obtained  a  showing  of  oil.  Its  ac- 
cumulation in  pools  of  commercial  value  first  demands  more  porous 
l^eds  than  the  shales  in  which  it  is  supposed  to  have  originated.  The 
strata  of  sand  interlain  with  the  shales  are  suitable  reservoirs  because 
in  most  cases  they  are  much  more  porous  than  the  compact  shales.  Ex- 
ceptionally, the  sands  themselves  contain  portions  which  are  extremely 
compact  and  impervious.  These  non-porous  areas  may  act  as  retaining 
covers  and  effect  the  concentration  of  underlying  oil  where  structure  is 
favorable.  They  may  be  entensive  enough  to  separate  adjoining  pools, 
or  they  may  be  small  enough  in  extent  to  cause  mere  local  "dry  spots'^ 
in  the  midst  of  very  productive  territory,  in  which  the  sands  are  other- 
Avise  highly  porous.  The  presence  of  small  streaks  of  shale  within  the 
sandstones  is  frequent  in  Illinois  formations.  Often  two  or  three  aver- 
aging 5  to  10  feet  in  thickness  may  occur  in  a  thickness  of  50  to  80 
feet  of  sand.  The  driller  terms  these,  '"breaks."  The  sand  and  the 
"break"  merge  into  one  another  in  most  cases  and  oil  is  not  often  found 
where  sand  and  shale  are  thus  mixed. 

IMPERVIOUS   COVER. 

An  important  requirement  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas  is  an 
impervious  cover,  or  retaining  roof,  which  will  hold  the  oil  and  gas  cap- 
tive in  the  porous  stratum.  In  Illinois  there  is  almost  invariably  a 
cover  of  hard,  compact,  shale  over  the  sand.  This  is  particularly  true 
of  the  sands  in  the  Pennsylvanian  formations.  The  producing  sands 
in  the'  Mississippian  formations  are  overlain  in  some  instances  by  lime- 
stone. The  impervious  covers  have  doubtless  caused  the  retention  of 
the  oil  in  the  sand  during  the  periods  of  earth  movements  which  caused 
structural  folds  in  the  rocks.  If  an  oil  pool  did  not  have  an  impervious 
c-over  between  it  and  the  surface,  the  lighter  portions  of  the  oil  would 
long-since  have  volatilized  and  passed  off  as  natural  gas,  while  only 
the  heavy  oil  or  asphalt-like  residue  would  remain.  Where  a  thin  cover 
lies  over  a  productive  oil  sand  some  of  the  lighter  portions  of  the 
petroleum  have  escaped  and  heavy,  lubricating  oil  is  generally  found. 
This  is  of  low  gravity  and  co'nsequently  of  low  grade,  and  generally 
serves  as  fuel  oil.  The  abundance  of  shales  within  the  "Coal  Measures" 
and  the  upper  Mississippian  rocks  of  Illinois  have  prevented  an  ex- 
tensive volatilization  and  consequently  the  oils  are  of  good  grade,  aver- 
aging about  30°  in  gravity. 

GEOLOGICAL   STRUCTURE. 

Another  very  important  necessity  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas 
in  pools,  is  the  presence  of  structural  features  in  the  rocks.  The  sedi- 
mentary strata  were  deposited  under  water  horizontally,  or  practically 


56  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

so^  and  the  natural  distillation  of  oil  probably  took  place  primarily 
while  the  beds  were  in  that  position.  Subsequent  disturbances  took 
place  causing  the  strata  to  be  folded,  forming  as  it  were,  an  arch  or  dome 
in  one  case  and  a  corresponding  trough  or  basin  in  the  other.  The  arches 
are  known  as  anticlines  while  the  depressions  are  called  synclines.  When 
these  undulations  took  place,  the  water,  petroleum,  and  gas  within 
the  sand  formations  were  forced  to  move  and  distribute  themselves 
according  to  the  laws  of  gravitation  and  hence  according  to  their  specific 
gravities.  The  water  was  the  heaviest  of  the  three  fluids,  and,  therefore, 
sought  the  synclines  as  far  as  possible,  depending,  of  course,  upon  the 
porosity  of  the  sands.  Its  tendency  was  to  displace  the  oil  and  gas, 
forcing  the  oil  to  float  on  the  water  and  the  gas  to  rise  still  higher.  Th? 
oil  was  enabled  to  rise  as  far  as  the  water  extended  up  the  slopes  of  the 
syncline,  while  the  gas  was  able  to  free  itself  from  the  fluids  and  rise 
to  the  highest  place  in  the  porous  bed,  usually  the  crests  of  the  anti- 
clines. 

The  earth  disturbances  effecting  the  changes  iii  the  position  of  the 
strata  may  be  responsible  also  for  minor  irregularities  which  occur  on  the 
anticlines  and  synclines  themselves.  The  surface  of  an  oil  sand  on  the 
anticline  may  be  pitted  or  undulating.  This  condition  may  affect  an 
extensive  area  or  only  a  few  acres  of  ground.  The  general  accumulation 
of  oil  and  gas  is  governed  by  the  anticline  proper,  covering  many 
miles,  and  the  segregation  of  pools  may  possibly  be  caused  by  smaller 
folds  on  the  large  one.  Coupled  with  this  intricate  system  of  synclines 
and  arches  on  the  parent  fold,  there  is  variation  in  the  porosity  of  the 
sands;  the  two  conditions  greatly  affect  the  distribution  of  oil  and 
gas.  It  is  readily  recognized  that  either  factor  may,  locally,  explain  the 
presence  of  dry  holes  within  productive  territory.  Some  question  has 
arisen  as  to  whether  these  minor  arches  are  true  anticlinals  of.deform- 
ational  character  or  whether  they  represent  merely  original  thickening 
and  thinning  of  particular  beds  or,  again,  wiiether  they  result  from 
unequal  .settling  during  the  consolidation  of  the  sediments.  Locally, 
any  or  all  of  these  factors  may  account  for  the  conditions. 

Another  important  type  of  geologic  structure,  in  which  an  accumula- 
tion often  occurs,  is  the  "terrace'^  or  flattened  area  upon  the  flanks  of 
a  syncline  or  anticline.  The  terrace,  strictly  speaking,  is  an  interruption 
in  the  uniform  dip  of  the  sides  of  a  basin,  giving  rise  to  an  approximately 
horizontal  plane.  Such  terraces  are  to  be  found  upon  the  sides  of  the 
greatly  structural  basin  in  southern  and  central  Illinois.  A  segregation 
of  oil  takes  place  upon  a  favorable  terrace  much  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  anticlines  and  the  synclines.  The  water  of  the  basin  enables  the  oil  to 
rise  to  the  terrace,  where  it  may  be  trapped  by  friction.  But  the  oil, 
originally  in  the  sloping  sand  above  the  terrace,  may  luigrate  farther 
up  the  general  incline  so  as  to  float  on  the  water  surface.  The  gas 
follows  its  usual  course  in  freeing  itself  from  the  oil  and  accumulates 
in  the  terrace  head  or  continues  up  the  general  dip  to  the  adjacent  anti- 
cline or  to  some  impervious  barrier. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  57 

WATER  SATURATIOX. 

One  of  the  most  important  factors^  if  not  the  greatest,  in  the  concen- 
tration of  oil  in  raised  structure,  is  the  presence  or  absence  of  water  in 
the  oil-bearing  stratum.  Mr.  W.  T.  Griswold  offers  some  very  interesting 
observations  upon  this  subject  with  reference  to  the  Appalachian  region.^ 
The  theories  are  more  or  less  applical)le  to  the  Illinois  rocks,  inasmuch 
as  they  are  of  similar  age  and  character.    His  conclusions  are  as  follows : 

"In  dry  rocks  the  principal  points  of  accumulation  of  oil  will  be 
at  or  near  the  bottom  of  the  syncline  or  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  porous 
medium,  or  at  any  point  where  the  slope  of  the  rock  is  not  sufficient  to 
overcome  the  friction,  such  as  structural  terraces  or  benches.  In  porous 
rocks,  completely  saturated,  the  accumulation  of  both  oil  and  gas  will 
be  in  the  anticlines  or  along  level  portions  of  the  structure.  "Where  the 
area  of  porous  rocks  is  limited,  the  accumulation  will  occur  at  the 
highest  point  of  the  porous  stratum;  and  where  areas  of  impervious 
rocks  exist  in  a  generally  porous  stratum  the  accumulation  will  take 
place  below  such  impervious  stop,  which  is  really  the  top  limit  of  the 
porous  rock.  In  porous  rocks  that  are  only  partly  filled  with  water  the 
oil  accumulates  at  the  upper  limit  of  the  saturated  area.  This  limit  of 
saturation  traces  a  level  line  around  the  sides  of  each  structural  basin, 
but  the  height  of  this  line  may  vary  greatly  in  adjacent  basins  and  in 
different  sands  of  the  same  basin. 

"Partial  saturation  is  the  condition  most  generally  found,  in  which 
case  accumulations  of  oil  may  occur  anywhere  with  reference  to  the  geo- 
logic structure.  It  is  most  likely,  however,  to  occur  upon  terraces  or 
levels,  as  these  places  are  favorable  to  accumulation  in  both  dry  and  sat- 
urated rocks. 

"Under  all  conditions  the  most  probable  locations  for  the  accumula- 
tion of  gas  are  on  the  crests  of  anticlines.  Small  folds  along  the  side 
of  a  syncline  may  hold  a  supply  of  gas,  or  the  rocks  may  be  so  dense  that 
gas  mav  not  travel  to  the  anticline,  but  will  remain  in  volume  close  to 
the  oil.''' 

The  application  of  the  above  observations  to  the  Illinois  wild-cat  areas 
can  only  be  made  in  a  limited  manner  at  the  present  time,  owing  to  the 
lack  of  data  on  the  water  saturation  in  such  wells  as  have  been  drilled 
to  date.  It  is  hoped  that  in  the  future  the  operators  in  Illinois  will  note 
with  as  much  exactness  as  possible,  the  wet  condition  of  the  sands  they 
encounter.  It  will  then  be  possible  for  the  geologist  or  engineer  to 
offer  better  suggestions  as  to  the  probable  conditions  in  prospective  oil 
areas. 

Application  of  Theories  to  the  Illinois  Fields. 

Structure  and  water  saturation  affecting  the  oil  and  gas  accumulation, 
have  been  casually  studied  in  the  eastern  Illinois  fields.  The  correlation 
of  about  5,000  well  records  in  this  area  and  the  studies  of  the  cross-sec- 


'  Griswold,  W.  T.  and  Munn,  M.  J.,  Geology  of  oil  and  gas  fields  in  Steubenville,  Burgettstown  and 
Claysville  quadrangles,  Ohio,  West  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania:  Bull.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  No.  318, 
p.   15. 


58  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    19()V).  [bull.  no.  1G 

tion  A-A,  herein  described,  show  conclusively  that  the  oil  and  gas  occur 
along  the  crest  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The  portion  of  the  arch  con- 
taining oil  is  five  or  six  miles  in  its  extreme  breadth  and  one  or  two 
miles  wide  in  the  narrowest  places.  Some  evidence  indicates  that  the 
anticline  is  affected  by  slight  deformations  that  are  cross-wise  to  the 
general  fold.  These  have  perhaps  caused  segregation  of  pools.  It  is 
further  shown  by  the  use  of  contours  upon  the  Kirkwood  sand  that  au 
uplift  of  the  axis  of  the  anticline  has  taken  place  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bridgeport  and  formed  a  dome-like  structure.  Its  apex  shows  highly 
productive  gas  and  oil  wells.  Some  portions  of  the  anticlines  show  a 
flattened  crest.  In  fact,  the  anticlinal  fold  has  different  effects  upon 
each  particular  oil  horizon,  depending  upon  the  position  of  the  individual 
sand,  with  respect  to  the  fold  itself. 

But  little  information  was  obtained  of  the  exact  relations  of  the  water 
in  the  oil  sands  but  enough  is  at  hand  to  show  that  wet  sands  are  pre- 
dominant, although  dry  sands  containing  oil  are  numerous.  Great 
quantities  of  salt  water  occur  upon  the  limbs  of  the  anticline,  beyond 
the  productive  area  and  at  its  sharply-defined  boundaries.  The  steep 
western  slope  of  the  fold  produces  greater  quantities  of  salt  water  than 
the  much  milder  decline  on  the  eastern  side  and  hence  it  offers  the  best 
opportunity  of  study.  It  is  apparent,  as  the  study  approaches  the  pro- 
ductive area,  that  the  water  is  present  in  the  sand  across  the  fold  and 
under  the  oil.  The  amount  of  water  increases  toward  the  basin  and 
the  amount  of  oil  increases  toward  the  crest  of  the  fold.  Drilling  has 
shown  that  the  oil,  in  most  cases,  lies  near  the  top  of  the  sand  and, 
consequentl}',  but  few^  wells  pass  through  the  oil  stratum  and  into  the 
water  for  fear  of  drowning  out  the  oil.  The  water  is  generally  very 
abundant  and  seems  to  be  under  pressure.  Its  release  from  the  sands 
sets  up  a  very  rapid  flow  that  is  difficult  to  stop.  It  is  very  obvious  from 
the  position  of  the  water,  oil,  and  gas  along  the  La  Salle  anticline  that 
the  water  has  controlled  the  accumulation  of  the  oil  and  gas  and  is 
instrumental  in  holding  it  captive  in  its  present  position. 

Often  non-productive  wells  are  found  in  the  midst  of  a  very  productive 
territory.  Many  such  wells  are  situated  in  a  flat  area  of  the  sands,  with 
producing  wells  a  location  or  two  distant.  From  the  present  knowledge 
of  underground  structure  it  is  assumed  that  the  controlling  factor  in 
such  a  case  is  the  presence  of  impervious  sand.  Lack  of  porosity  will 
perhaps  explain  the  position  of  dry  wells  often  found  at  or  near  the  smarll 
domes  or  in  the  small  pits  that  are  occasionallv  found  along  the  crest 
of  the  fold. 

Further  phases  of  oil  development  along  the  La  Salle  anticline  will 
be  discussed  in  a  report  that  is  to  he  issued  later.  This  will  include 
studies  of  the  distribution  of  petroleum  and  the  p-overning  structure. 
The  position  of  water  upon  the  anticline  and  the  effect  upon  production 
will  be  investigated  in  more  detail. 

The  Sandoval  area  is  in  its  infancy  of  development  but  sufficient 
work  has  been  done  to  show  that  the  structure  governing  the  accumula- 
tion of  oil  is  an  irregular  terrace.     The  productive  area  is  very  narrow, 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  59 

and  the  sands  leading  up  to  the  structure  and  away  from  it  are  saturated 
with  water  and  thus  give  good  reason  for  the  migration  of  oil  to  the 
terrace.  The  succession  of  sands  and  shales  is  similar  to  that  of  the  main 
field  and  offers  good  retaining  covers  to  the  porous  sands.  More  detailed 
studies  of  this  area  will  be  found  upon  pages  139  to  146. 

It  has  been  shown  so  far  that  practically  all  localities  in  Illinois 
yielding  oil  and  gas  lie  on  anticlines^  domes  or  terraces.  Therefore,  the 
general  assumption  is  that  any  area  within  the  State,  or  out  of  it  for  that 
matter,  underlain  by  suitable  formations  and  these  structural  features, 
will  bear  investigation  for  the  presence  of  oil  and  gas.  The  structure 
may  be  ascertained  by  leveling  to  outcrops,  but  in  the  case  of  conditions 
such  as  exist  in  Illinois,  where  rocks  are  usually  covered  by  drift,  one 
is  dependent  on  the  study  of  well  and  mine  records,  as  presented  in 
this  report. 


CtEXEEAL  geology  of  ILLINOIS  EELATIXG  TO  OIL  AXD 

GAS. 

IXTRODUCTIOX. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  have  a  general  view  of  the  oil  and  gas 
possibilities  of  the  State,  a  brief  elementary  review  of  its  geology  is 
presented.  Those  who  have  observed  the  ledges  exposed  at  quarries  or  in 
the  banks  of  streams  appreciate  that  the  rocks  occur  in  rather  definite 
layers  of  varying  thickness.  Well  drillers,  especially,  realize  that  sand- 
stone, shale,  limestone,  and  combinations  of  these  rocks  underlie  the 
State  as  alternating  strata  of  considerable  regularity.  The  study  of 
these  relations  constitutes  stratigraphic  geolog}'  or  stratigraphy. 

A  rock  stratum  may  underlie  a  large  or  a  small  area.  Thus,  a  coal 
bed  or  an  oil  sandstone,  or  '''sand''  may  be  present  in  one  locality  but 
absent  in  the  adjoining  region.  The  areal  extent  of  oil  sands  therefore 
is  a  matter  of  importance  to  operators. 

The  rock  la3-ers  exposed  to  view  appear  to  be  flat- lying  or  horizontal. 
Detailed  study  may  show  gentle  pitching  or  dipping  of  the  strata.  Thus, 
a  coal  bed  may  lie  300  feet  above  sea  level  in  a  particular  coal  mine, 
but  dip  so  as  to  be  only  100  feet  above  sea  level  in  an  adjoining  county. 
Exceptionally,  the  rocks  lie  in  gentle  folds.  The  attitude  or  ^*lie"  of  the 
strata  constitutes,  broadly,  their  ''structure/'  and  the  determination  of 
this  is  -of  utmost  importance  in  the  discovery  and  development  of  an 
oil  field. 

The  geology  of  the  State  is  described  elsewhere^  in  a  more  detailed 
manner;  it  will  be  sufficient  in  this  report  to  discuss  its  significant  fea- 
tures, briefly,  under  the  headings  just  mentioned. 

Stratigraphy. 

The  accompanying  sections  indicating  the  order  and  character  of 
the  strata  were  published  by  Bain^,  and  are  modifled  slightly  by  the 
writer,  to  agrree  with  later  conclusions. 


» WeUer,  Stuart,  The  geological  map  of  Illinois:    Biill.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  6,  1907. 

'Bain,  H.  Foster,  Petroleum  fields  in  Illinois  in  1907:    BuU.  III.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  pp.  273-312. 


60 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  61 


Overlying  the  consolidated  rocks  of  the  State  except  in  the  extreme 
southej-n  and  the  northwestern  counties,  there  is  a  varying  thickness  of 
glacial  deposits  or  ''drift/'  These  clays,  sands,  gravels,  etc.,  are  com- 
monly encountered  in  drilling  before  hard  rock  is  reached.  Locally,  they 
contain  gas,  and  Bain^  says: 

"Natural  gas  is  found  in  these  deposits  in  small  quantity  at  a  number 
of  points  throughout  the-  State.  Such  wells  are,  or  have  been,  known 
near  Champaign,  Princeton,  Colchester,  Wapella,  Hey  worth,  and  else- 
where. The  pressure  is  usually  slight  and  the  life  of  the  individual 
wells  is  usually  short.  While  it  is  not  possible  in  every  case  to  absolutely 
exclude  the  possibility  of  these  wells  representing  leakage  from  lower 
reservoirs,  a  sufficient  explanation  of  them  is  believed  to  be  found  in 
the  decay  of  woody  material  buried  in  the  drift  itself.  These  wells  ar(i 
characteristically  difficult  to  maintain  owing  to  sand  clogging  the 
pipes.^^ 

The  section  for  southern  Illinois  is  most  important  in  the  present 
study.  The  formations  promising  best  oil  and  gas  production  are  indi- 
cated by  italic  and  occur  chiefly  in  the  Carboniferous  system.  Possible 
oil  "sands"  are  suggested  also  in  tlie  Ordovician  and  Silurian  systems, 
especially  in  central  and  northern  Illinois. 


Northern  Illinois  Section. 

This  section  is  intended  to  be  representative  for  that  portion  of  the  State  lying  north  of  Rock  Island, 
LaSalle  and  Kankakee. 


Carboniferous. 
(Pennsylvanian.) 

"  Coal  measures,"  mainly  middle  part;  consisting  of  coal,  shale,  sandstone,  and 

limestone;  575  feet  thick;  no  known  gas  or  oil. 
Unconformity. 

Devonian. 

Limestone;  150  feet  thick. 
Unconformity. 

Silurian. 

Niagara  limestone;  dolomite;  335-388  feet  thick;  contairiing  frequent  seepages  of 

bitumen  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago. 
Unconformity. 

Ordovician. 

Cincinnatian  shales  and  limestone;  68-250  feet  thick. 

Unconformity. 

Galena-Trenton;  mainly  dolomite,  a  little  limestone  and  shale  at  the  base;  300- 

440  feet  thick;  a  very  persistent  "oil  rock"  or  petroliferous  shale  in  the  louer 

portion.    St.  Peter  sandstone;  friable  sandstone  1.50-275  feet  thick;  heavily 

water-bearing. 
Lower  Magnesian  dolomitic  limestone;  4.50-811  feet  thick;  all  but' upper  part 

known  from  well  records;  rests  on  Potsdam  sand  stone,  known  only  from  well 

records. 

Loc.  cit. 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


61 


Central  Illinois  Section. 

For  the  region  south  of  Rock  Island,  LaSalle  and  Kankakee,  and  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
River  and  Danville. 


Carboniferous. 
(Pennsylvaniau.) 


j"Coal  measures,"  upper  part;  coal,  shale,  limestone,  and  sandstone;  600-700 

I     feet  thick." 

|-' Coal  measures,"  middle  part;  shale,  sandstone,  and   coal  including  approx- 

I     imately  from  '•  No.  2  coal"  to  "  No.  6  coal;"  300  feet  thick. 

j"Coal  measiu-es,"  basal  part;  (Pottsville  equivalents),  including  coal,  clay, 

I  shale,  and  sandstone;  mainly  the  beds  associated  with  the  "  No.  1  coals"  of  the 
western  part  of  the  State,  and  ofirregular  thickness,  found  in  deep  borings  else- 
where; 50-150  feet  thick;  small  amounts  of  oil  and  gas  reported,  but  origin  not 
certain. 

Unconformity. 

I 


Carboniferous. 
(Mississippian.) 


Chester;  irregular  thickness  of  sandstone,  shale  and  limestone,  recognized  in  a 
few  borings;  generally  absent  in  this  territory;  0-50  feet  thick. 

Unconformity. 

St.  Louis,  Salem,  Ste.  Genevieve;  limestone,  non-magnesian,  partly  cherty  and 
partly  oolitic;  50-100  feet  thick.  Osage  group,  Warsaw,  Keokuk,  and  Bur- 
lington; shales  and  limestone,  the  latter  often  cherty;  250-350  feet  thick;  crude 
'petroleum  in  geodes  near  the  top  of  the  Keokuk. 

Kinderhook;  shales,  limestones,  and  sandstones;  80-150  feet  thick. 

Unconformity. 


Devonian. 


Limestone;  15  feet  thick. 
Unconformity. 


Silurian. 


I  Niagara;  dolomite;  50-120  feet  thick;^as  at  Pittsfield  in  Pike  County, and  oil  seepage 
in  Calhoun  County- 


Ordovician. 


Cincinnatian;  shales;  40-100  feet  thick. 

Unconformity. 

Galena-Trenton;  dolomite;  300-400  feet  thick;  oil  seepage  at  Calhoun  County. 

St.  Peter;  sandstone;  130  feet  exposed;  heavily  water-bearing. 


Southern  Illinois  Section. 

For  the  area  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River  and  Danville,  including  the  principal  oil  and  gas 
producing  districts. 


Tertiary 


Lafayette,  Porters  Creek  and  Lagrange;  sands,  clays,  and  ferruginous  conglo- 
!     merate  found  in  extreme  southern  counties  only;  150  feet  thick. 


Cretaceous. 


Ripley;  sands  and  clays  in  exteme  southern  portion  of  the  State  only;  20-40  feet 

thick. 
Unconformity. 


Carboniferous. 
(Pennsylvanian.) 


"Coal  measures,"  upper  part;  coal,  shale,  sandstone,  and  limestone;  500-700 
feet  thick;  contains  the  oil  and  gas  sands  of  the  Westfield,  Siggins  and  Casey  pools. 

"Coal  measures,"  middle  part;  coal,  shale,  sandstone,  and  limestone;  400-650 
feet  thick;  including  probably  the  lower  pay  of  the  Johnson  Township  pool  in  Clark 
County,  and  possibly  the  Robinson  sand. 

i"  Coal  measures,"  basal  part  (Pottsville  equivalents);  sandstone,  conglomerate, 
shale,  and  thin  coals ;  50  to  500  feet  thick;  including  the  Buchanan  sand  and  prob- 
ably the  Robinson  and  Bridgeport  sands,  with  the  greater  part  at  least  of  the  pro- 
ductive sand  of  Montgomery  County.  The  oil  saijd  of  Princeton,  Ind.  may  pos- 
sibly belorig  in  this  group. 

Unconformity. 


02 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.   16 


Southern  Illinois  Section — Concluded. 


Carboniferous. 
(Mississippian.) 

Chester  group;  limestone,  shales  and  sandstones,  usually  three  well  defined 
limestones  (non-cherty)  and  generally  with  red  shale  at  the  base;  500  feet  thick; 
includes  the  Kirkwood  oil  sand  of  Laurence  County;  a  gas  sand  at  Vincennes,  Ind: 
the  gas  and  oil  sands  at  Sparta  in  Randolph  County;  the  Tracy  andMc  Closky  oil 
sands  of  Lawrence  County;  the  Stein  and  Benoist  oil  sands  of  Marion  County;  the 
latter  being  the  equivalent  of  the  Kirkwood  sand,  and  the  Lindley  gas  sand  of  Green 
ville,  Bond  County. 

Cypress;  sandstone," massive,  coarse-grained;  fairly  regular  in  a  thickness  of  80 
to  150  feet;  not  known  to  have  been  prospected  for  gas  or  oil. 

Unconformity. 

Ste.  Genevieve, St.  Louis  and  Salem;  limestone,  partly  cherty  and  partly  oolitic; 
250-400  feet  thick. 

Osage  group  (Burlington,  Keokuk,  Warsaw);  limestone  often  cherty  with  some 
shale;  200  feet  thick. 

Kinderhook;  mainly  shale,  some  limestone;  50  feet  thick. 

Devonian. 

Limestone,  sandstone,  shale;  limited  in  outcrop  to  southern  counties;  500-700 
feet  thick. 

Silurian. 

Niagara  and  Clinton;  limestone;  in  southern  counties  only;  100-110  feet  thick. 

Ordovician. 

Cincinnatian;  limestone,  shale,  and  sandstone;  100  feet  thick. 

Unconformity. 

Galena-Trenton;  limestone,  non-magnesian;  80  feet  thick. 

Areal  Extent  of  the  Formations  and  Oil  Sands. 

The  extent  of  the  main  geologic  systems  in  Illinois  is  suggested  by 
the  map  already  published.^  Of  particular  interest  here,  is  the  extent 
of  the  formations  which  are,  or  may  be,  productive  of  oil  or  gas.  Pass- 
ing from  the  youngest  to  the  oldest  or  lowest  rocks,  by  far  the  most 
important  are  the  Carboniferous  formations;  although  the  Silurian 
and  Ordovician  rocks  deserve  brief  mention.  The  Carboniferous  in- 
clude the  Pennsylvanian  ("Coal  Measures")  series  and  the  underlying 
Mississippian. 

The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  occupy  42,000  square  miles  in  the  heart  of 
Illinois.  They  are  absent  from  that  part  lying  north  of  an  irregular  line 
drawn  eastward  from  Rock  Island.  The  boundary  swings  south- 
ward from  near  the  mouth  of  Kankakee  Eiver  to  a  point  west  of  Paxton, 
thence  northeast  to  the  State  line  near  Watseka.  South  of  this  lino 
the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  continue  from  Illinois  into  Indiana  and  Ken- 
tucky. The  southern  and  western  margins  of  the  area  follow  the  trend 
of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  at  a  distance  of  10  to  25  miles.  As 
shown  by  the  sections,  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  of  the  southern  area  are 
thickest  and  most  complete.  They  are  thinner  in  the  area  represented 
by  the  central  section,  chiefly  because  of  the  thinning  away  of  the 
Pottsville  formations  with  their  included  oil  sands.  North  and  north- 
west of  Springfield  these  rocks  are  essentially  absent;  the  illustration 
(PL  11),  however,  shows  their  presence  eastward  from  Decatur.  A  thin 
layer  occurs  also  in  the  vicinity  of  Rock  Island.  The  lowest  beds  of  the 
Pennsylvanian  are  lacking  along  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  from 
Randolph  County  northward  to  Rock  Island.     It  thus  appears  that  the 


^Weller,  Stuart,  Loc.  cit. 


hlatchley]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  68 

oil  sauds  of  the  Pottsville  are  most  promising  in  the  central  and  sontli- 
oastern  parts  of  the  State.  Even  there,  the  Pottsville  may  be  limited 
to  areas  favorable  for  the  previous  erosion  of  the  npper  Chester  forma- 
tions. (See  PL  9  and  p.  108).  The  higher  sands  ma_y  be  found  present 
practically  anywhere  except  at  the  thin  edge  of  the  Pennsylvanian  area. 
The  horizontal  extent  of  the  various  sands  is  not  known  accurately, 
even  within  the  drilled  areas,  because  of  lack  of  good  well  records  and 
consequent  difficulty  of  identifying  the  sands. 

The  Casey  sands,  or  the  shallow  sands  of  Clark,  Coles,  Cumberland, 
and  Edgar  counties  and  the  400-foot  sands  of  the  Eobinson  pool  in 
Crawford  County,  occur  well  up  in  the  Pennsylvanian.  They  are  inter- 
bedded  with  coals,  thin  limestones,  and  prevailing  shales.  They  have 
been  widely  drilled  along  the  La  Salle  anticline  and  have  been  found 
productive  of  oil  and  some  gas.  Their  shallowness  and  the  ease  of  drill- 
ing through  the  overlying  formations  has  caused  their  thorough  exploita- 
tion. These  sands  are  fairly  widespread  over  the  southern  and  central 
portions  of  Illinois  but  have  been  found  commercially  productive  in 
but  one  other  locality  beyond  the  La  Salle  fold.  The  original  oil  seep 
in  the  mine  north  of  Centralia,  which  gave  impetus  to  the  development 
of  the  Marion  County  oil  field,  is  from  a  sand  immediately  underlying 
the  N'o.  6  coal.  This  sand  was  found  productive  in  several  wells  north  of 
Centralia.  As  soon  as  the  position  of  the  N"o.  6  coal  is  learned  in  the  main 
oil  territory,  it  will  perhaps  be  possible  to  identify  and  correlate  this 
sand. 

The  Pottsville  sands  at  the  base  of  the  Pennsylvanian  have  been  studied 
in  Illinois  along  their  outcrop  by  David  White.  From  the  fossils  they 
are  believed  to  correspond  in  age  to  the  Pottsville  rocks  of  the  Applachian 
region.  The  oil, and  gas  sand  of  Litchfield  apparently  belongs  in  the 
Pottsville.  This  is  perhaps  the  only  instance  in  which  these  fonnations 
are  productive  of  oil  besides  the  Buchanan  sand  of  the  eastern  Illinois 
fields.  The  Pottsville  sandstones  of  the  central  and  southern  portions  of 
the  State,  especially  in  the  deeper  part  of  the  Illinois  basin  and  over  the 
La  Salle  anticline,  are  conspicuous  for  their  massiveness.  Since  they  are 
interbedded  with  shales,  however,  the  top  is  difficult  to  identify,  owing 
to  the  merging  of  the  sands  with  overlying  shaley  rocks.  The  correlations 
in  this  report  were  based,  for  the  most  part,  upon  the  top  of  the  thick 
sand,  immediately  underlying  the  conspicuously  shaley  rocks.  These 
sands  are  fairly  well  saturated  with  salt  water  wherever  they  have  been 
encountered.  They  commonly  lack  conspicuous  limestone  strata,  thus 
differing  distinctly  from  the  underlying  Mississippian  rocks. 

The  ^lississippian  series  lying  in  the  Carboniferous,  next  below  the 
Pennsylvanian  ("Coal  Measures'^)  contains  important  oil  sands  whoso 
exact  extent  is  not  accurately  known.  The  outcrop  of  the  Mississippian 
rocks  occurs  around  the  southern  and  western  borders  of  the  State,  and 
exposures  show  that  the  full  thickness  is  not  everywhere  present.  The 
thickest  development  occurs  in  the  southern  area.  It  wedges  out  to  the 
north  so  its  edge  is  overlapped  and  concealed  by  the  Pennsylvanian.    TJie 


64  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

iMissirisippinii  oil  saiids^  as  shown  by  tlie  tal)lc,  occur  in  the  upper  or 
Uhcster  iiienil)ers.  ThcA^  arc  the  most  ])rocluctiv(>  sands  and  liavc  ])roduc(>d 
most  of  the  oil  from  the  eastern  Illinois  fields. 

The  top  of  the  Chester  is  not  positively  recognized  in  drill  records. 
Tlie  correhitions  of  the  cross-sections  in  this  report  were  based  upon  the 
limestone  immediately  underlying  the  massive  Pottsville  sandstone.  It 
is  succeeded  hy  other  limestones  interlain  with  strata  of  sandstones  and 
red  shales.     Weller  savs:^ 

From  most  of  the  literature  on  the  subject  one  gains  the  impression  thai 
the  Chester  is  dominantly  a  limestone  formation,  but  in  working  over  the 
area  occupied  by  the  beds  in  the  field,  one  is  impressed  with  the  fact  that 
it  is  in  a  large  part  sandstone.  Nowhere  in  that  part  of  Illinois  occupied 
by  these  beds,  is  the  limestone  element  in  the  formation  the  most  conspicuous 
feature,  except  along  the  Mississippi  river  bluffs  above  Chester,  from  that 
city  to  the  point  where  the  Cypress  sandstone  outcrop  begins.  It  is  prob- 
able that  where  the  limestone  has  its  greatest  development,  not  more  than 
one-third  of  the  total  thickness  is  calcareous,  and  over  a  large  part  of  the 
area  the  thickness  of  the  limestones  probably  does  not  exceed  one-fifth  of  the 
entire  thickness. 

The  best  region  in  which  to  study  the  succession  of  beds  in  the  Chester, 
is  in  the  Mississippi  river  bluffs  above  and  below  the  city  of  Chester.  This 
section  shows  an  alternation  of  chiefly  calcareous  and  arenaceous  formations, 
there  being  three  conspicuous  limestones  and  three  sandstones.  The  lime- 
stones are  frequently  interbedded  with  calcareous  shales,  and  the  sand- 
stones frequently  become  arenaceous  shales  or  at  times  clay  shales. 

The  lowest  member  of  the  "group,"  above  the  Cypress  sandstone,  is  a 
limestone  and  shale  formation  attaining  a  maximum  thickness  of  approx- 
imately 250  feet  at  and  above  Chester.  In  its  lower  portion  it  includes  con- 
siderable beds  of  calcareous  and  clay  shales,  a  bed  of  variegated  red  and 
blue  shale  being  commonly  present  near  the  base.  In  the  upper  part  of  this 
member  is  a  great  limestone  ledge  about  100  feet  in  thickness,  with  occa- 
sional thin  shaly  partings,  which  furnishes  the  quarry  rock  at  the  Southern 
Illinois  penitentiary,  at  Menard.  The  great  mass  of  .the  fauna  of  the 
"Chester  group"  in  Illinois  has  been  described  from  this  lower,  calcareous 
member  of  the  formation  as  a  whole. 

The  second  member  of  the  "group"  is  a  sandstone  or  shale,  the  shale  be- 
ing most  conspicuous  in  the  more  northern  part  of  the  area,  while  to  the 
south  it  is  almost  wholly  a  sandstone  similar  to  the  Cypress  in  character, 
but  usually  thinner  bedded  and  not  infrequently  more  or  less  of  an  aren- 
aceous shale.  This  division  attains  a  thickness  of  about  80  feet.  The  third 
is  again  a  limestone  which  is  apparently  more  impure  than  most  of  the  beds 
of  the  lower  division.  It  is  much  less  fossiliferous  than  the  lower  division 
and  the  fossils  are  such  as  to  give  it  definite  faunal  characters  which  can 
be  recognized  over  wide  areas.  Its  thickness  near  Chester  is  about  60  feet. 
The  fourth  member  is  again  a  sandstone  similar  to  the  earlier  sandstone 
beds,  and  attains  a  thickness  of  65  feet.  The  fifth  member  is  a  limestone 
similar  to  limestone  No.  2,  in  lithologic  characters,  and  Is  usually  almost  or 
quite  unfossiliferous.     Its  thickness  is  about  35  feet. 

It  seems  to  be  altogether  probable  that  these  three  limestone  beds  of  the 
Chester  "group"  can  be  differentiated  and  mapped  throughout  the  faulted 
area  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  and  that  by  means  of  them  the  struct- 
ure can  be  worked  out  in  much  detail.  In  the  final  work  upon  these  beds  it 
will  probably  be  found  to  be  expedient  to  distinguish  each  of  these  six  mem- 
bers of  the  Chester  by  distinct  formation  names,  just  as  the  Cypress  sand- 
stone is  now  distinguished. 


'Loc.  Cit. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

General  Section  of  the  Chester  (Above  the  Cypress  Sandstone.) 


65 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Limestone 

Sandstone 

Limestone 

Sandstone  and  shale 

Limestone 

Shale,  calcareous  and  clayey  with  red  shales  in  lower  part 


35 
65 
60 
80 
100 
150 


The  oil  and  gas  sand  of  Sparta  in  Ivandolph  County  lies  in  the  Chester 
formations,  described  on  page  153.  J.  M.  Nickles^  published  several  well 
known  records  with  their  interpretations,  and  constructed  a  general  sec- 
tion based  upon  these  and  the  report  of  the  Worthen  Survey.  The  section 
is  quoted  as  follows  to  show  the  variations  in  the  Chester  strata : 


Nickles  General  Section  at  Sparta. 


No. 

'  Thickness 
i     —Feet. 

1 

1 

Soil  and  drift,  about 

40 

2 

Sandstone,  at  top  more  or  less  decomposed 

30 

8 

Limestone     

10 

4 

Coal(No.7) 

2 

5 

Fire  clay  and  shale 

15 

6 

Limestone,  with  shale  partiners                                                                                        .  . 

22 

7 

Shale      ...... 

0-3 

8 

Coal  (No.  6) 

6 

9 

Fire  clay  and  shale 

6 

10 

Limestone 

8 

11 

Shale 

4 

1? 

Coal  (No.  5) 

4 

18 

Shale .      .             ... 

8 

14 

Limestone,  with  shale  partings   

16 

15 

Shale 

14 

16 

Coal  (No.  3) 

2-4 

17 

Shale 

35 

18 

Coal(No.2?) 

3 

19 

Sandstone  and  shale  (conglomerate)       

180 

?.o 

Limestone  (No.  1  of  Chester  group) 

20 

?A 

Shale 

15 

9,9. 

Sandstone 

40 

?,8 

Shale 

17 

24 

Limestone  (No.  2  of  Chester  group) 

15 

25 

Shale .     ^                                                                             .     . 

20 

26 

Sandstone 

40 

27 

Shale 

18 

28 

Limestone  (No.  3  of  Chester  group)       

30 

29 

Soft  shale  (Lyropora  shale) 

65 

80 

Limestone  (No.  4  of  Chester  group)       ...                              .                      

30 

81 

Sandstone 

30 

82 

Shale  and  limestone 

30 

88 

Shale 

15 

84 

Sandstone  (gas)    

7 

85 

Shale 

20 

86 

Limestone 

14 

87 

Shale 

40 

88 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale  (Aux  Vases  or  Cypress  sandstone"*     

120 

Total  thickness 

996 

'Nickles,  J.  M.,  Geological  section  St.  Louis  to  Shawneetown:   Report  111.  Board  World' 
mission,  1893,  pp.  198-199. 


Fair  Com- 


-5  G 


66  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

"Nos.  2-19  are  'coal  measures,'  No.  19  being  the  basal  sandstone  (Conglom- 
erate). Nos.  20-38  represent  the  entire  thickness  of  the  Chester  Group, 
which,  in  this  section,  is  made  636^  feet.  Prof.  Worthen's  section,  referred 
to  before,  gives  613  feet." 

The  thinning  away  of  the  Chester  beds  to  the  north  causes  the  absence 
of  important  oil  and  gas  sands  in  that  part  of  the  State.  No  Chester  is 
present  at  Springfield,  though  the  section  (PL  11)  shows  some  at  Deca- 
tur and  eastward.  Probably  there  is  little  chance  of  finding  Chester  oil 
sands  much  north  of  this  section. 

Pre-Chester  sands,  of  the  Carboniferous,  or  those  below  the  rocks  just 
described  are  not  known  to  carry  oil  or  gas  in  commercial  quantities, 
though  the  rocks  have  been  very  little  prospected.  From  its  close  associ- 
ation with  the  Chester  proper,  its  wide  extent  and  porous  character,  the 
Cypress  sandstone  is  looked  upon  as  holding  out  some  promise.  Below 
that,  in  the  Carboniferous,  there  are  no  known  beds  that  are  either  encour- 
aging or  discouraging  if  a  possible  exception  be  made  of  the  petroleum 
found  in  the  geode  bed  of  the  Keokuk.  This  is  not  believed,  however, 
to  be  especially  significant. 

The  Silurian  includes  the  Niagara  limestone  formation,  which  in 
northern  Illinois  is  dolomitic,  and  locally  contains  bituminous  deposits. 
If  offers  some  slight  chance  of  oil  production  as  described  on  p.  161. 

The  Ordovician  system  includes  the  Trenton-Galena  limestone,  along 
with  others  of  little  importance  in  this  connection.  Over  it  lies  the  Cin- 
cinnatian  shales  which,  in  the  northwest  counties,  are  rich  in  disseminated 
oil.  The  Trenton-Galena  is  known  to  be  300-400  feet  thick  in  the  north; 
250  feet  thick  in  Calhoun  and  Jersey  counties;  at  least  100  feet  in  south- 
ern Illinois.  It  doubtless  underlies  the  younger  rocks  of  the  Illinois 
basin.     (See  p.  161.) 

Structure. 

Cross-sections  compiled  from  well  borings  and  mines  of  the  Illinois 
area  (Pis.  7,  8  and  9)  indicate  that  there  is  a  spoon-shaped  basin  with  its 
long  axis  extending  from  the  north  line  of  Stephenson  County  past  La 
Salle,  Lovington,  and  continuing  to  the  southwest  county  of  Indiana. 
The  deepest  part  of  the  basin  lies  in  the  vicinity  of  Wayne,  Hamilton, 
Edwards,  and  White  counties,  where  the  rocks  are  comparatively  flat. 
Towards  this  basin,  witli  local  exceptions,  all  the  rocks  of  Illinois  and  of 
western  Indiana  dip  gently.  The  sides  of  the  "spoon"  show  some  minor 
longitudinal  folds.  The  most  important  is  the  La  Salle  anticline  which 
runs  from  Freeport  to  a  point  just  east  of  La  Salle,  and  continues  in  a 
southeasterly  direction  through  the  oil  field  and  into  Indiana.  This 
and  other  lines  of  deformation  are  shown  on  Plate  7.  Ftom  western 
Illinois  the  rocks  dip  gently  eastward  until  the  Duquoin  anticline  is 
reached  but  then  dip  much  more  rapidly  to  the  axis.  They  rise  from 
this  line  to  the  La  Salle  anticline,  decline  gently,  and  then  rise  again 
into  Indiana.  The  dips  of  the  southern  rocks  into  the  basin  are  locally 
100  feet  or  more  to  the  mile.    The  anticlines  and  other  minor  irregulari- 


'  Should  be  586. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES.  67 

ties  influence  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas  as  explained  in  a  previous 
discussion,  and,  therefore,  are  of  special  importance.  They  become  less 
notable  towards  northern  Illinois;  thus,  that  part  of  the  State  lacks  the 
best  structural  features  as  well  as  the  Pennsylvanian  and  Mississippiaii 
oil  sands.     Oil  if  present  must  be  found  in  the  older  formations. 


DETAILED    GEOLOGY    OF    CEXTEAL    AXD    SOUTHEK^^ 

ILLINOIS. 

Gexeral  Statement. 

The  detailed  geology  of  the  central  and  southern  portion  of  Illinois 
is  revealed,  first,  by  the  study  of  five  general  cross-sections,  and,  second, 
by  the  borings  in  local  regions  where  oil  and  gas  are  produced.  The  gen- 
eral sections  are  chosen  along  lines  showing  the  greatest  number  of  wells 
and  coal  bores  and  at  the  same  time  crossing  the  great  structural  basin 
of  Illinois.  The  identification  or  correlation  or  various  beds  in  each 
section  presents  a  general  idea  of  the  stratigraphy  and  structure  of  the 
lower  portion  of  the  State.  The  studies  of  the  proven  oil  areas  are  more 
detailed  and  complete.  They  are  based  upon  coal  contour  maps  and  minor 
cross-sections  ancl  in  addition  to  presenting  the  stratigraphy  and  structure 
of  the  region,  emphasize  the  relation  of  the  coal  structure  to  that  of  the 
oil  horizon  below.  The  general  sections  are  constructed  after  a  simple 
graphic  method  and  are  discussed  in  the  order  of  their  importance,  while 
the  individual  oil  areas  are  discussed  under  county  headings. 

The  cross-sections  are  constructed  by  plotting  records  with  respect  to 
sea  level.  A  line  representing  sea  level  is  drawn,  and  another  represent- 
ing an  ideal  surface  five  hundred  above  it.  This  is  marked  off  to  corres- 
pond to  miles.  The  names  of  towns  occurring  along  the  selected  line  are 
placed  in  their  proper  positions.  The  records  are  located  with  respect 
to  their  distance  from  the  nearest  town  and  to  their  position  above  sea 
level.  They  are  then  plotted  with  uniform  symbols  and  scale.  Correla- 
tion lines  drawn  between  similar  formations  in  adjoining  records,  picture 
any  rise  or  fall.  In  some  cases  wells  which  aid  greatly  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  the  detailed  geology  of  the  region  lie  several  miles  to  either  side 
of  the  section  line.  These  are  placed  on  the  section  in  such  manner  that 
the  key  horizon,  Xo.  6,  coal  is  flush  with  that  of  adjoining  wells.  This 
is  called  ^^projecting^'^  a  well  into  the  section.  Its  purpose  is  to  show  the 
relative  position  of  the  lower  formations  in  a  portion  of  the  section  where 
deep  wells  are  missing. 

Cross-sectiox^  A-A. 

The  A-A  cross-section  presents  the  most  complete  geological  data  across 
the  State.  It  parallels  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern  Eailroad  from 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  Yincennes,  Ind.  It  follows  the  direct  dip  of  the  coal 
eastward  from  St.  Louis  and  passes  through  the  newly  developed  oil  ter- 
ritory at  Sandoval,  while  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  State,  it  crosses  the 


68 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


La  Salle  anticline  and  the  eastern  Illinois  oil  fields  near  Bridgeport  and 
Lawrenceville.  As  a  whole  the  section  is  especially  valuable  for  the  gen- 
eral structure,  though  also  for  its  picture  of  minor  deformations.  The 
section  is  made  up  from  the  following  records,  corresponding  by  number 
to  those  printed  on  PI.  7. 


(No.  1). 


LOGS. 


Monk's  Mound  Well. 


Authority — Dr.  J.  A.  Udden. 

Location — Four  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois. 

Elevation — 415  feet. 


Fine  gray  sand 

Coarse  river  sand 

Gravel 

Gray  shale 

Impure  limestone 

Sandstone 

Impure  limestone  and  sand 

Sandstone 

Shale 

Sandstone 

Limestone 

Gravel  and  sand,  quartz-like .• 

Limestone 

Gray  limestone  with  fragments  of  bituminous  material 

Calcareous  limestone. 

Gray  limestone 

Cherty  lime 

Calcareous  limestone' — 

Gray  shale 

Cherty  limestone 

Chert 

Cherty  limestone 

Chert 

Cherty  limestone 

Pink  marl 

Limestone 

Green  marl 

Gray  limestone 

Gray  marl,  with  pyrites 

Dark-gray  shale 

Gray  limestone 

Pink  limestone ' 

Greenish  limestone 

White  limestone 

Dolomitic  limestone 

Greenish-gray  shale 

Unknown 

Gray  limestone,  oil  show  and  splotches  of  bitumen 

White  lime 

Gray  lime 

Unknown 

Sand 


Thickness 

Depth- 

—Feet. 

Feet. 

10 

50 

20 

70 

80 

150 

55 

205 

10 

215 

5 

220 

5 

225 

75 

300 

5 

305 

10 

315 

95 

410 

30 

440 

65 

505 

10 

515 

135 

650 

20 

670 

10 

680 

38 

718 

62 

780 

30 

810 

60 

870 

10 

880 

15 

895 

120 

1,015 

30 

1,045 

5 

1,050 

5 

1,055 

40 

1,095 

10 

1,105 

20 

1,125 

45 

1,170 

55 

1,225 

25 

1,250 

65 

1,315 

20 

1,335 

55 

1,390 

100 

1,490 

20 

1,510 

170 

1,680 

135 

1,815 

160 

1,975 

125 

2,100 

(No.   2). 


Goal  Outcrop.'L 


Location — Near  Casey ville,   Illinois,    QVo    miles  east    of    East    St.    Louis, 
Illinois. 
Elevation — 500  feet. 


'Fenneman,  N.  M.,  Physiography  of  the  St.  Louis  area:  Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  12,  Plate  18. 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


69 


(No.  3). 


Prairie   Coal   Company  Mine. 


Location — Along   the    St.    Louis,    O'Fallon   and    Lebanon    Interurban,    one- 
fourth  mile  east  of  west  line  of  sec.  27,  T.  2  N.,  R.  8  W. 
Elevation— 560  feet. 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  212  feet  deep. 


(No.  4). 


Joseph  Taylor  Coal  Company  (St.  Ellen  Mine). 


Location — Along  the  St.  Louis,  O'Fallon  and  Lebanon  Interurban,  north  of 
the  center  of  the  south  line  of  sec.  26,  T.  2  N.,  R.  8  W. 
Elevation — 558  feet. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Drift 

45 
35 
28 
3 
10 
10 
62 

5 

I 

45 

Shale     

80 

Black  shale 

108 

Reddish  hard  rock 

111 

Fire  clay     

121 

Reddish  imrd  rock 

131 

Soft-bluish-gray  sandstone 

193 

Soft  limestone 

200 

Hard  limestone 

205 

Coal 

212 

Fire  clay 

220 

There  were  no  wells  in  this  neighborhood  that  were  drilled  much  deeper 
than  the  No.  6  coal,  except  at  Collinsville,  about  five  miles  north.  A  well 
drilled  in  town  by  the  Collinsville  Water  Company  practically  corresponds, 
to  a  depth  of  237  feet,  to  the  record  of  the  St.  Ellen  mine.  Therefore,  the 
balance  of  the  Collinsville  record  is  projected  to  the  cross-section  and  added 
to  the  St.  Ellen  record  so  as  to  show  the  position  of  the  Chester  red  shale, 
corresponding  to  that  above  the  Kirkwood  sand  in  the  eastern  Illinois  oil 
field. 


(No.  4  continued), 


Location- 
Elevation- 


-E.  Yo  sec 
-573  "feet, 


Collinsville  Water  Connpany  Well. 
33,  T.  3  N.,  R.  8  W. 


' 

Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Limestone                                           . 

3 

20 
61 
15 
15 

fs* 

70 
10 
64 

28 

1 

223 

Brown  shale 

243 

Black  shale 

304 

Yellow  shale    

319 

Red  shale 

334 

Sandstone          

335i 
3651 
394 

Dark  shale 

412 

Red  and  black  shale 

482 

Limestone .  .  .  . 

492 

Sandstone 

556 

Blue  shale     

584 

70 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


(No.   5), 


Van  Courts  Mine  (Abandoned).! 


Location— At  O'Fallon,  sec.  29,  T.  2  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — 555  feet. 
No.  6  coal,  200  feet. 

(No.  6). 

International  Coal  and  Mining  Company  (Bennett  Mine). 

Location — Along  the  St.  Louis,  O'Fallon  and  Lebanon  Interurban,  sec.  26, 

T.  2  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation— 470  feet. 
Depth  of  coal,  180  feet. 


(No.  7). 


Lebanon  City  Coal  Company. 


Location — Along    the    Baltimore    and    Ohio    Southwestern    Railroad,    near 
center  of  the  N.  E.  %  sec.  30,  T.  2  N.,  R.  6  W. 
Elevation— 442    feet. 


Tbickn35s 

Deptl 

1 — 

—Feet. 

Feet 

60 

60 

3 

63 

62 

125 

7 

132 

8 

140 

23 

163 

30 

193 

5 

198 

40 

238 

6 

244 

150 

394 

12 

406 

?? 

Drift 

Sand  rock . . 
Soapstone . . 
Limestone . 
Fire  clay... 
Ijimestone . 
Soapstone . . 

Coal 

Soapstone . . 

Coal 

Soapstone . . 
Hard  rock. 
Coal 


(No.  8). 


Summerfield  Coal  Shaft  (Abandoned;. 


Location— At  Summerfield,  in  the  N.  E.  i^  sec.  27,  T.  2  N.,  R.  6  W. 
Elevation— 480  feet. 
No.  6  coal  at  276  feet. 


(No.  9) 


Breese-Trenton  Mining  Company  (Trenton  Mine). 


Location — One-fourth  mile  south  from  N.  E.  corner  sec.  25,  T.  2  N.,  R.  6  W. 

Elevation — 514   feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  340  feet. 


(No.  10), 


Trenton  Oil  and  Gas  Company  Boring. 


Location — One-third  mile  S.  W.  from  the  N.  E.  corner,  sec.  8,  T.  2  N.,  R. 
5  W. 
Elevation— 472  feet. 


'Nickles,  J.  M.,  Report  of  the  Board  of  World's  Fair  Commissioners,  p.  161. 


BLATCHLEYl 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


71 


I  Thickness 
I     —Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet 


Drift 

22 
50 
50 
100 
98 

5 
25 
97 
15 

7 
25 
10 

t 

120 
20 
35 
10 
85 
90 
45 
5 
20 

225 
10 
48 
57 
6 
60 

240 

100 
12 
38 
10 

140 
30 
95 
15 

22 

Lime  (?)  (probably  hard  shale)               

72 

Slate 

122 

Sandstone  (fresh  water)       

222 

320 

Coal ...            .            .         .  . 

325 

350 

Gray  slate                                                                                                    ... 

447 

Black  slate 

462 

Coal..        ..                                                                                             .      .  . 

469 

Fire  clay 

494 

Lime ....                                                                          .                       

504 

Coal 

510 

Lime ....                                                                                                   

518 

Sand  with  salt  water 

638 

Slate.           .                                                                                                 .  .      . 

658 

Lime 

693 

Slate.. 

703 

Sand,  salt  water  below,  dry  above 

788 

Red  shaly  rock 

878 

Sand 

923 

Slate 

928 

Sand 

948 

Lime 

1,173 

Sandy  lime  (oil  show)       .       .                                ...          .             

1,183 

Lime 

1,231 

Sand 

1,288 

Black  slate 

1,294 

Limestone  (show  of  oil^)                                               .   .          

1,354 

Lime,  sand  and  shale 

1,594 

Shale 

1,694 

Sand 

1,706 

Slate .                                                                    

1,744 

liimestone 

1,754 

Gray  shale                                                                                                       .  . 

1,894 

Brown  shale 

1,924 

Gray  shale  and  brown  shale 

2,019 

2,034 

Note— First  salt  water  at  535-565  feet.    Second  salt  water  at  about  700  feet. 

(No.   11). 

Aviston  Oil  Test. 

Location — North  of  the  creek  and  north  of  the  wagon  road  14   mile  east 
from  the  N.  W.  corner  of  sec.  26,  T.  2  N.,  R.  5  W. 
Elevation— 435  feet. 


Thickness 
.  —Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Soil 

Light  brown  and  gray  slate 

Gray  sand 

Blue  slate 

Blue  limestone 

Coal  (No.  fi)  I 

Potters  clay  (fire  clay) 

Limestone 

Coal  (No.  5) 

Lime  shells  and  slate 

Lime  (?)  mostly  of  a  light  gray  and  brownish  color  (some  slate) . 
Slate 


Shale 

Limestone *. . . 

Sand  (salt  water) . 
Shale 


56 

56 

124 

180 

60 

240 

60 

300 

20 

320 

3 

323 

7 

330 

10 

340 

6 

346 

54 

400 

50 

450 

60 

510 

80 

590 

45 

635 

10 

645 

105 

750 

According  to  Dr.  J.  A.  Udden,  the  upper  coal  is  No.  6  and  the  lower  coal,  No.  5. 


72 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 

Aviston  Oil  Test — Concluded. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Red  rock 

10 
40 
40 
40 
40 
40 
30 
10 

760 

Shale 

800 

Sand  (salt  water) 

840 

Slate,  light  gray  color 

880 

Lime  shells  and  slate ' 

920 

Red  shale 

960 

Light-gray  slate  (cave) 

990 

White  sand  (salt  water) 

1,000 

(No.   12) 


Aviston  Goal  Shaft  (AhandonedJ. 


Location— Along  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Southwestern  Railway,  and  near 
the  west  line,  sec.  24,  T.  2  N.,  R.  5  W. 
Elevation— 473  feet. 
No.  6  coal,  347  feet  deep. 


(No.  13). 


Cooperative  Coal  Company  (Breese  Mine). 


Location^ — A  little  east  of  the  center  of  the  N.  y>  sec.  23,  T.  2  N.,  R.  4  W. 

Elevation— 435  feet. 

Bottom  of  No.  6  coal,  389  feet. 


(No.   14) 


Beckemeyer  Coal  Company  (Shaft). 


Location — Beckemeyer,  Illinois. 

Elevation— 458  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  440  feet. 


(No.  15). 


Carlyle,  Oil  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  N.  W.  corner  E.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  13,  T.  2  N.,  R.  3  W. 
Elevation— (Estimated)   470  feet. 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Drift                            ... 

32 
9 

17 
8 

14 
100 

15 
216 

10 
8 
7 
5 
4 

39 

20 
1 

38 
1 

35 

6" 

e" 

e" 

6 

e" 

9 
3 
6 

33 

35 

52 

60 

75 

175 

190 

406 

416 

424 

431 

436 

440 

480 

500 

*    501 

540 

541 

577 

Nigger  head  rock 

Black  slate       

6 

Black  slate          .       ... 

Sand  shale 

Black  slate 

Red  shale 

Black  slate 

Coal 

6 

Sandstone 

Coal 

6 

Fire  clay 

3 

Coal 

6 

Slate 

BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

Carlyle  Oil  Prospect — Concluded. 


73 


Thickness- 

Depth— 

Feet,  'inches. 

i 
Feet.    Inches. 

Black  slate 

Coal , 

1 
1 

1? 

1 
28 
23 
36 



578 
579 
587 
598 
599 
627 
650 
686 
703 



Black  shale 

Black  slate   

Shale 

Sandstone 

Fire  clay 

Black  slate 

17 



(No.  16) 


August  Thomas  Oil  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  N.  W.  Y^  N.  E.  14  sec.  13, 
Elevation — (Estimated)    510  feet. 


T.  2  N.,  R.  1  W 


Depth— Feet. 


From 


To 


Xo.  6  coal 

1 
570     ' 

Sand ... 

1.417     1 
1,417 
1,432 
1.551     ! 
1,600     I 
1,610     ' 
1,650     ; 
1,660     1 

1,477 

Oil  show 

1,432 

Salt  water 

1,477 

Sand 

1,600 

Shale .   ... 

1,610 

Sand : 

1.650 

Limestone .             .   . 

1,660 

Slate  and  red  rock 

1.688 

(No.   17). 

Middleton  and  Seidel  Coal  Company  (East  Mine). 

Location — In  the  N.  W.   14   sec.  17,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  E. 

Elevation— 495  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  609  feet. 

(No.  18). 

Riggs  Xo.   1   Oil  Prospect.^ 

Location— On  the  Chandler  farm  .in  the  S.  E.  14   S.  W.  14  sec.  20,  T.  4  N., 
R.  1  E. 
Elevation— (Estimated)    470  feet. 


Thickness 
-Feet. 

Depth- 
From 

-Feel. 
To 

Coal 

235 
40 
15 
90 
15 
26 
10 

169 

506 

630 

76.5 
1,000 
1,040 
1,055 
1,145 
1,160 
1,186     , 

169"^ 

Coal 

507i 

Coal  (No.  6) 

636' 

Soft  sand  (hole  full  of  wait  water) 

1,000 

Shale 

1  040 

Dry  sand 

1  055 

Shale 

1  145 

Dry  sand 

1,160 

Shale 

1  186 

Red  rock 

1,196 

'This  well  was  projected  into  the  section  from  10  miles  north. 


74 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Biggs  No.  1  Oil  Prospect — Concluded. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Shale 

Hard  limestone . 
Shale  and  shells. 
Shale 


Red  rock 

Shale 

Shale  and  shells. 

Shale 

Red  rock 

Shale 

Sand  (dry) 

Shale 

Sand  (dry) 

Shale 

Sand 

Shale 

Dry  sand 

Shale 


Red  rock 

Sandy  shale  (6  bailers  water). 
Shale . 


Sand,  shale  and  red  rock 

Salt  sand  (hole  full  of  water) 

Shale 

Limestone  (very  hard) 

Good  sand  (smelled  of  oil,  no  show) 

Shale 

Sand  (showing  of  oil  in  first  5  feet,  water  at  1,625) , 
Shale 


Thickness 
—Feet . 


Depth— Feot. 


From 


1,196 
1.204 
1,214 
1,230 
1,260 
1,265 
1,285 
1,305 
1,318 
1,338 
1,370 
1,373 
1,390 
1,395 
1,434 
1,436 
1,440 
1,448 
1,450 
1,475 
1,485 
1,500 
1,543 
1,580 
1,590 
1,600 
1,612 
1,616 
1,640 


To 


1,204 
1,214 
1,230 
1,260 
1,265 
1,285 
1,305 
1,318 
1,338 
1,370 
1,373 
1,390 
1,395 
1,434 
1,436 
1,440 
1,448 
•1,450 
1,475 
1,485 
1,500 
1,543 
1,580 
1,590 
1,600 
1,612 
1,616 
1,640 


(No.  18A), 


E.  R.  Steiner  and  A.  H.  Gibson  Oil  ProspectA 


Location — On  the  Joe  Cannon  farm,  in  the  S.  W.  i/4  S.  E.  ^4  sec.  35,  T.  3 
N.,  K.  1  E. 

Elevation— (Estimated)    520  feet. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

■  Depth— Feet. 

From. 

To 

Coal  No.  6 

6 
60 
10 

8 
82 

8 

7 

5 
20 

2 
38 
20 
45 

7 

18 
15 
41 
39 

5 
10 
15 

5 

715 

1,020 
1,230 

1,080 

Pencil  cave 

1,240 

Slate  (cave) 

1,248 

Lime  shells  and  slate 

1,330 

Red  rock 

1,338 

Pencil  cave 

1,345 

1,350 

Slate  (cave) 

1,370 

1,372 

Slate  and  shells 

1,420 

1,430 

Lime  shells 

1,475 

Slate  

1,482 

Pencil  cave 

1,500 

1,515 

Limestone 

1,556 
1,595 

Slate                     .   .             

Red  rock 

1,600 

1,610 

Limestone  shells 

1,625 

1,630 

Red  rock 

10 

1,640 

Slate   

10 

6 

?4 

1,650 

Black  water  sand 

1,656 

1,680 

'  This  well  was  projected  into  the  section  from  the  north. 


fiLATCHLEYj 
(No.   19). 


Location — In  the  X.  W.  H  sec.  ] 
Elevation — 531  feet. 
No.  6  coal  at  700  feet. 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESGl/RCES. 

Odin  Coal  Company  fShaftJA 
T.  2  N.,  R.  1  E. 


<0 


Thickness. 


Depth. 


Feet.     Inches 


Feet.     Inches. 


1 

10 
10 

6" 

6"' 

6" 

6" 

--.-  -g- 

4" 

i" 

2" 

6 
2 

7 

6" 

6 

2" 

h" 

4" 

6 

"io  ' 

6 

6" 

6" 

6 

1 

2 

9 
14 
34 
112 
114 
120 
126 
127 
128 
129 
130 
132 
139 
147 
157 
163 
163 
167 
186 
190 
193  . 
197 
205 
208 
208 
209 
223 
224 
235 
239 
244 
253 
254 
257 
259 
287 
297 
300 
300 
305 
309 
361 
371 
373 
373 
378 
386 
396 
459 
487 
494 
495 
497 
505 
510 
523 
569 
613 
615 
620 
626 
635 
640 

10 

Hard  pan 

8 

7 
4 
20 
78 
2 
6 
6 

1 

ii 

Yellow  clay  and  sand 

2 

Blue  clay  and  gravel     .         .  . 

2 

Blue  clav 

2 

Brown  clav  and  wood 

s 

Blue  clay, 'mud  and  sand 

8 

Quick  sand 

8 

Cemented  gravel 

8 

Limerock  . 

8 

Soapstone 

2 

Limerock.. 

1 
2 

7 

6 

2 

Soapstone 

s 

Limerock 

Soapstone 

Sandstone  . 

8 
2 
2 

Shale 

2 

Coal 

6 

Soapstone 

4 
19 
4 
3 
4 
8 
3 

6 

Blue  slate 

6 

^'oapstone 

-  hale 

6 
6 

Fireclay 

6 

Blue  lime  rock 

Blue  slate 

- 

Coal 

9 

Fire  clay 

3 

>and  shale  

14 

5 

Coal 

Sand  shale 

Sand  rock  and  shale 

ii 

4 
5 
9 
1 
2 
2 
58 
10 
3 

Sand  shale 

Blue  slate 

Rock  and  gravel . .   . . 

6 

Fire  clav 

Fire  clav  and  boulders 

Dark-blue  slate 

Shoal  Creek  lime  rock 

Black  slate 

Coal  

2 

Fire  cay 

5 

4 

52 

10 

1 

2 

Sand  rock        .  . 

s 

Sand  shale 

8 

Blue  slate . .   

8 

Rock  and  gravel 

Limerock 

6 

Fire  clav 

5 

8 
10 

i 

7 

6 

Conglomerate  slate  and  lime  rock 

Soapstone 

6 
6 

Sand  rock 

6 

Blue  slate            .  . 

(y 

Blue  s!ate  and  boulders 

6 

Coal 

4 

Fireclay 

2 

8 

5 

13 

46 

44 

1 

5 

6 

9 

4 

10 

Conglomerate  sand  and  lime  rock 

10 

Sand  rock 

10 

Gray  slate 

10 

Sand  shale  and  i  Jie  rock 

Blue  slate .  .  .  . 

10 
10 

Light  clay  shale 

4 

Conglomerate  clay  and  gravel 

4 

Fire  clay 

4 

Hard  lime  rock 

10 

Soft  lime  rock 

4 

'Worthen,  A.  H    Report  Geol.  Survey  of  111.,  vol.  VIII,  p.  43. 


76 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 

Odin  Coal  Company  (Shaft) — Concluded. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Thickness. 


Depth. 


Feet.     Inches.     Feet.     Inches 


Blue  shale 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

Conglomerate 

Dark-blue  shale 

Coal 

Fireclay 

Pebbly  "clay 

Light  lime   ock 

Clay  shale 

Lime  rock 

Blue  shale 

Limestone 

Blue  shale 

Limestone 

Blue  shale 

White  lime  rock 

Dark-blue  lime  rock . 
Mottled  lime  rock. . . 
Dark  gray  lime  rock. 

Black  shale 

Coal 


650 
652 
653 
655 
662 


670 
671 
672 
677 
677 
677 
678 
679 
680 


709 
717 


(No.  20). 


Riggs  No.  2,  Oil  ProspectA 


Location— In  the  N.  W.  14  S.  E.  14  sec.  20,  T.  4  N.,  R.  2  E. 
Elevation — 530  feet   (estimated). 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth— Feet. 


From 


To 


Coal  (No.  6) 

Shale 

Salt  sand  (4  bailers  of  water) 

Shale 

Salt  sand  (hole  full  of  water  at  1,100) . . 

Shale 

Dry  sand 

Shale 

Salt  sand  (20  bailers  of  water) 

Black  shale 

Limestone  shell 

Shale 

Hard  shell 

Shale 

Shells  and  shale 

Shale 

Salt  sand  (hole  full  of  water) 

Shale 

Salt  sand  (hole  full  of  water) ...   

Shale 

Salt  sand 

Shale 

Very  hard  limestone  (10  days  drilling). 

Shale 

Red  rock 

Limestone 

Red  rock 

Shale  and  few  shells 


30 
5 

80 
30 
20 
122 

4 
1 
4 
42 
15 
10 
5 

20 
15 
70 
10 
25 
15 
15 
4 

16 
70 


740 
744 
885 
945 
1.005 
1,135 
1,140 
1,220 
1,250 
1,270 
1,392 
1,399 
1,403 
1,404 
1,408 
1,450 
1,465 
1,475 
1,480 
1,500 
1,515 
1,585 
1,595 
1,620 
1,635 
1,650 
1,654 
1,670 


744 
885 
945 
1,005 
1,135 
1,140 
1,220 
1,250 
1,270 
1,392 
1,399 
1,403 
1,404 
1,408 
1,450 
1,465 
1,475 
1,480 
1,500 
1,515 
1,585 
1,595 
1,620 
1,635 
1,650 
1,654 
1,670 
1,740 


•This  well  was  projected  into  the  section  from  the  north. 


BLATCHLEYl  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 

(No.  21). 

Salem  Shaft. 

Location— In  the  city  of  Salem,  sec.  11,  T.  2  N.,  R.  2  E. 

Elevation — 535  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal  at  892  feet  and  9  inches. 


77 


Thickness. 


Feet. 


Inches 


Depth. 


Feet.     Inches. 


Soil  and  subsoil 

Hardpan 

Yellow  clay 

Yellow  clay  and  sand 

Blue  clay  and  gravel 

Brown  clay  with  wood . . . 
Blue  clay,  sand  and  wood. 

Black  soil 

Blue  mud  and  sand 

Sandstone 

Clay  shale 

Black  limestone 

Coal 


Fire  clay 

Conglomerate  of  lime  and  sand . 

Blue  shale  and  slate 

Clay  shale 

Sandy  shale 

Dark-blue  shale 

Coal 


Fu-e  clay 

Dark-blue  shale  with  sand  partings. 

Light-blue  limestone 

Fire  clay 

Sandy  shale 

Clay  shale 

Coal 


Fire  clay 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale . 

Blue  shale 

Gray  shale 

Dark-blue  shale 

Gray  limestone 

Fire  clay 

Sandstone 

Clay  shale 

Bituminous  shale 

Coal 


Fire  clay 

Conglomerate  of  lime  and  sandstone . 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale 

Clay  shale 

Light-gray  limestone 

Hard-massive  sandstone 

Sandy  shale 

Clay  shale 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

Conglomerate  lime  and  sandstone 

Shale  and  slate 

Limestone  (Shoal  Creek; 

Black  slate 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale 

Blue  shale \ 

Conglomerate  of  lime  and  sandstone. 

Black  slate 

Gray  limestone 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

Nodular  clay  shale 

Blue  slate 

Coal 

Blue  slate 

Hard-sa^  dy  shale 

Dark-blue  slate 

Conglomerate  of  lime  and  sandstone . 
Sandy  shale  and  sandstone 


4 

13 

23 

73 

103 

115 

116 

126 

126 

134 

136 

137 

139 

143 


207 
208 
208 
217 
225 
228 
231 
239 
239 
240 
294 
301 
306 
311 
316 
319 
330 
344 
347 
348 
348 
351 
386 
408 
420 
428 
449 
472 
473 
474 
481 
506 
520 
523 
523 
528 
589 
597 
599 
601 
602 
602 
606 
614 
615 
615 
617 
627 
630 
635 
651 


78 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Salem  Shaft — Concluded. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Thickness. 

Depth. 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Feet. 

Inches, 

Shale  and  slate 

31 

2" 

4 

4" 

6 

9" 

5" 

e" 

6 
6 
6 

4" 

2 
10 
2 

6"" 

6 
3 

682 
683 
687 
688 
694 
695 
697 
705 
739 
783 
784 
787 
794 
803 
822 
823 
826 
846 
■     879 
879 
881 
882 
884 
886 
888 
892 
897 

11 

Brown  limestone 

1 

Clay,  shale  and  slate 

6 

1 

6 

1 

1 

8 

33 

44 

1 

3 

7 

9 

19 

5 

Limestone 

5 

Blue  slate 

5 

Coal 

g 

Fire  clay 

•3 

Nodular  shale  (calcareous) 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale  .  . 

3 

Blue  shale 

Fire  clay 

5 

Conglomerate  of  lime  and  sandstone 

5 

Fire  clay 

5 

Dark-gray  limestone 

5 

Clay  shale 

11 

Coal 

5 

Fire  clay 

3 
19 
33 

11 

Limestone  with  clay  partings 

5 

Sandy  shale ' 

5 

Blue  slate 

9 

Coal 

2 

9 

Fire  clay 

Black  slate 

2 
2 
1 
4 
4 

9 

Gray  limestone 

9 

Black  slate 

3 

Coal 

9 

Fire  clay  .... 

Total  thickness 

899 

3 

(No.  22). 


Kelly  d  Finn  Oil  Prospect  (No.  1). 
Williams  farm,  near  luka  in  the  N.  E.  l^  N.  W.  i^  sec.  24,  T.  2 


Location- 
N.,  R.  3  E. 

Elevation — (Estimated)   540  feet. 
No.  6   (?)   coal,  892  feet. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth 
—Feet. 

Gravel 

20 
30 

100 
3 
97 
10 
40 

575 
12 
3 
2 

228 
30 
35 
10 

170 
15 

120 
10 
30 
30 
58 

20 

Lime 

50 

Slate       

150 

Coal 

153 

Slate         .           

250 

Sand 

260 

Lime                        .          

300 

Slate 

875 

887 

Slate 

890 

Coal                                                                                    

892 

Slate 

1,120 

Sand                                                                                                             .  . 

1,150 

Slate    

1,185 

Red  rock 

1,195 

Sand     

1,365 

Slate 

1,380 

Sand 

1,500 

Slate 

1,510 

Sand            

1,540 

Slate 

Sand  and  lime 

1,570 
1,628 

BLATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

Kelly  &  Finn  Oil  Prospect  (No.  1.) — Concluded. 


79 


Thickness      Depth — 
—feet.  feet. 


Slate 

Sand 

Shells I 

Sand I 

Slate : 

Slate  a  d  lime I 

Sand , I 

Slate 

Sand : 


1,635 

40 

1,675 

105 

1,780 

27 

1.807 

15 

1,822 

208 

2,030 

50 

2,080 

20 

2,100 

136 

2,236 

(No.  23). 


Kelly  d  Finn  Oil  Prospect  (No. 


Location — On  the  Woodbridge  farm,  near  luka  in  the  S.  W.  i/4   S.  E.  Vi 
sec.  4,  T.  2  N.,  R.  4  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   540  feet. 
No.  6   (?)   coal,  815  feet. 


Thickness 
-Feet. 


Depth— 


►ep 
Fe 


Sand  (water  at 

Li    estone 

Limestone 

Slate 

imestone 

Slate 


feet). 


Limestone . 

Slate 

Sand 


Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

Salt  sand,  dry. 
Coal 


Li    estone 

Slate 

Bridgeport  (?)  sand. 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

San  1 

Slate 


Limestone . 

Slate 

Limestone . 

Slate 

Limestone . 
Slate 


Sand  (water  at  1  450, 1,405  and  1,475  feet) . 

Slate 

Li  ■  estone  (shells) 

Slate 

Oil  sand 

Slate 


Limestone  (shells) . 

Sand 

Slate 


50 
10 
40 
55 
25 
45 
40 

125 
30 

170 
25 

135 

38 

2 

10 

115 
25 
75 
28 
47 
30 
55 
30 
38 
12 
70 
10 
40 
90 
30 
10 
19 
4 

20 
40 
10 


Limestone 

17 

Slate 

13 

Salt  sand                               .     .                                

25 

Slate 

25 

Limestone                                                                                 

25 

Slat^ 

3 

Red  rock                                                                               .     ..          

12 

Slate 

30 

Salt  water 

25-75 

85 

125 

180 

205 

250 

290 

415 

445 

615 

640 

775 

813 

815 

825 

940 

965 

1,040 

1,068 

1,115 

1,145 

1.200 

1,2.30 

1,268 

1,280 

1.350 

1,360 

1,400 

1,490 

1,520 

1,530 

1,549 

1.553 

1.560 

1,580 


620 
630 
647 


685 
710 
1,735 
1,738 
1,750 
1,780 
1,780 


80 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    190U. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


(No.  24). 


Brueing  and  Sossong  Oil  Prospect. 


Location — Near  Sailor  Springs,  Clay  County,  sec.  30,  T.  4  N.,  R.  8  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated)  490  feet. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth. 
Feet. 


Yellow  clay 

Grey  clay 

Quicksand 

Coarse  gravel 

Grey  clay 

Light-grey  lime 

Dark-grey  shale 

^   ater  sand  No.  1 

Light-grey  and  very  gritty  shale 

Water  sand 

Dark-grey  shale 

Dark-grey  shale 

Light-grey  shale 

Darlc-grey  shale 

V  ater  sand  No.  2 

Dark-grey  shale 

Milky  salt  water  sand  No.  3 

White  limestone 

Dark-grey  shale 

White  limestone 

Dark-grey  shale 

Light-grey  li    estone 

Sand  No.  4  (dry) 

Dark-grey  shale 

Light-grey  limestone 

Light-grey  shale 

Sand  No.  5  (dry) 

Light-grey  shale 

Sand  No.  6  (dry) 

Shale,  light-grey 

Shale,  dark-grey 

Dark-grey  limestone 

Sand  No.  7  (dry) 

Shales,  light  to  brownish 

Sand  No.  8,  pale-green  salt  water 

Dark  limestone 

Dark-grey  shale 

Grey  limestone 

DarK-grey  shale 

Sand  No.  9,  drilled  with  water  in  hole  from  No.  8. 

Dark-grey  shale 

Sand  No.  10,  like  sand  No.  9 

Limestone,  grey 

Sand  No.  11,  like  sand  No.  9 

Dark-grey  shale 

Grey  limestone 

Dark-grey  shale 

Sand  No.  12,  like  sand  No.  9 

Dark-grey  shale,  very  thin  streak  of  coal 

Grey  limestone 

Sand  No.  13,  salt  water 

Very  light  shale 

Black  shale 

Limestone 

Black  shale 

Limestone 

Dark-grey  shale 


30 
25 
10 

17 
4 

113 
32 
20 
23 
75 

240 

10 

45 

1 

104 
82 


158 

3 

5 

2 

6 

14 

.10 

16 

40 

45 

127 

2 

20 

37 

52 


4 

31 

36 

34 

9 

4 

5 

38 

6 

8 

58 

1 

3 

284 

3 

14 

16 

3 

2 

^ 


87 
200 
232 
252 
275 
350 


645 
646 
750 
832 
840 
842 
851 
1,009 
1,012 
1,017 
1,019 
1,025 
1,039 
1,049 
1,065 
1,105 
1,150 
1,277 
1,279 
1,299 
1,336 
1,388 
1,393 
1,439 
1,443 
1,474 
1,510 
1,544 
1,553 
1,557 
1,562 
1,600 
1,606 
1,614 
1,672 
1,673 
1,676 
1,960 
1,963 
1.977 
1,993 
1,996 
1,998 
2,001i 


BLATCHLEY] 
(No.   25). 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


Olney  Artesian  WellA 


Location— In  sec.  12,  T.  3  N.,  R.  10  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   480  feet. 


81 


Thickness 
Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Soil  and  clay. 
Sandstone . 


Arenaceous  shale 

Sandstone 

Shale 

Limestone 

Sandstone 

Argillaceous  limestone 

Shale 

Black  slate 

Shale  with  limestone  bands 

Limestone 

Shale 

Limestone 

Ferrugenous  (iron)  shale 

Calciferous  shale 

Brown  shale 

Light-blue  shale 

Sandy  limestone 

Blue  shaie 

Black  shale 

Sandy  limestone 

Black  slate 

Coal 

Limestone 

Shale 

Black  slate 

Shale 

Sandy  shale 

Sandy  limestone 

Shale 

Limestone 

Calcareous  sandstone 

Sandstone 

Clay  shale 

Sandy  shale-bands  of  black  slate 

Sand  shale 

Calcareous  sandstone 

Red  sandstone 

White  sandstone 

Brown  sandstone 

Sandy  li    estone,  thin  seams  of  slate . 

Unknown 

Light-brown  sandstone 

Drab-shale  with  lime 

Unknown 

Black  shale 

Brown  sandstone 

Black  shale 

Dark  shale  and  limestone 

Bull  limestone 

Fine  sandstone 


12 
18 

110 
25 

131 

8 

30 

15 

382 
4 

108 


55 
33 
40 
160 
70 
40 
70 
50 
50 
40 
60 
40 
15 
10 
4 
51 
10 
10 
18 


12 
30 
140 
165 
296 
304 
334 
349 
731 
735 
843 
849 
850 
856 


950 
1,035 
1,077 
1,080 
1,089 
1,139 
1,155 
1,160 
1,200 
1,210 
1,216 
1,231 
1,271 
1.331 
1,346 
1,415 
1,467 
1,500 
1,540 
1,700 
1,770 
1,810 
1,880 
1,930 
1,980 
2,000 
2,060 
2,100 
2, 115 
2,125 
2,129 
2,180 
2,190 
2,200 
2,218 


»Mr.  Victor  E.  Phillips  of  Olney  furnished  the  portion  of  the  record  down  to  2,0C0feet  to  Mr.  Worthen. 
In  1907  he  furnished  the  remainder  of  the  log  to  the  Survey  . 


-6  G 


82 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


(No.  26). 

Everson  Oil  Company  Oil  Prospect  (N.  W.  Byrnes  farm). 

Location — Five  miles  south  of  Claremont,  Richland  County,  T. 
14  W. 

Elevation — 502  feet. 


N.,  R. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Coal  outcrop 

rift 

41 

139 
10 
30 
20 
90 
30 

170 
80 
16 
49 
40 
35 
18 
12 
20 
77 
11 

137 
6 

129 
80 
70 
6 
25 
57 
15 

41 

Slate 

180 

Water  sand             : 

190 

Slate 

220 

Sand                              .                             

240 

Slate 

330 

Water  sand 

Slate 

360 
530 

Dry  sand 

610 

Soft  slate 

626 

Slate 

675 

Water  sand  ...        

715 

Slate  and  shells 

750 

Limestone             .                                            

768 

Slate 

780 

Brown  sand  (Water)                                             .  . 

800 

Slate 

917 

Upper  Bridgeport  sand,  dry  (steel  line  measurement) 

928 

Soft  slate  (cave) 

1,065 
1,071 
1.200 

Coal 

Slate 

Dry  sand 

1,280 

Slate  and  shells .   .                                  

1,350 

Coal  and  slate 

1,356 

Lower  Bridgeport  sand  (dry) 

1,381 
1,438 
1,453 

Slate  and  shells 

Sand,  large  amount  of  water 

+ 

(No.  27), 


Home  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (Mathias  Oil  Prospect). 


Location — In  sec.  10,  T.  3  N.,  R.  13  W.,  Christy  Township,  Lawrence  County. 
Elevation — (Estimated)    470  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
From 

-Feet. 
To 

Coal,  limestone  cap     .              .                     . .           

8 

20 

7 
23 
25 

760 

825 
845 
852 
875 
1,000 
1,192 

768 

845 

Slate 

852 

Second  Bridgeport  sand  (wet)     

875 

Slate 

900 

Buchanan  sand 

BLATCHLEY] 

(No.   28). 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


83 


Location — In  sec.   1 
County. 

Elevation— 520  feet. 


Snowden  Bros.  Oil  Go.  (E.  Fyffe  Well  No.  1). 

T.    3  N.,   R.    13   W.   Bridgeport  Township,   Lawrence 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 

-Feet. 

From 

TO 

Water  sand   

90 
80 

8 

5 
25 

3 
30 
20 

3 
30 
130 
25 
35 
25 
23 

8 
20 
12 
22 
24 

200 

310 

402 

412 

550 

575 

790 

900 

930 

970 

1,110 

1,275 

1,305 

1,345 

1,440 

1,499 

1,529 

1,567 

1,579 

1,633 

1,641 

290 

Water  sand             .                

390 

410 

Red  rock          .                     .... 

417 

Sand 

575 

Coal       

578 

Sand 

820 

Water  sand 

920 

Limestone  shells 

933 

Limestone 

1,000 
1,240 

(Buchanan)  sand,  water  at  1,145        

Sand 

1,300 
1,340 
1,370 
1  463 

Limestone 

Sand 

Water  sand        ... 

Red  rock 

1,507 

Limestone 

1,549 

Water  sand 

1,579 

Limestone 

1,601 

Oil  sand     

1,665 

Oil  at 

1,665 

(No.   29), 


Jennings  Producing  Company  (McElfresh  Well  No.  6). 


Location — In  the  N.  W.  corner  N.  W.  ^4  sec.  5,  T. 
port  Township,  Lawrence  County. 
Elevation— 529  feet. 


W.,  R.  12  W.,  Bridge- 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Sand  ...                                        .                                                      .... 

21 
20 
20 

834 

Sand 

905 

Sand 

965 

Sand  (gas) 

1,340 

Sand  (oil) 

13 

1,432 

84 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


(No.   30). 

Maple  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (M.  G.  Stoltz  Well  No.  1). 

Location — In   sec.    4,   T.    3   N.,   R.    12   W.,   Lawrence   Township,   Lawrence 
County. 

Elevation — 445  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth— Feet. 

From 

To 

Sand 

25 
100 
40 
115 
65 
30 
20 

840 
940 
1,100 
1,220 
1,345 
1,420 
1,455 

865 

Water  sand 

1,040 

Water  sand 

1,140 

Sand  and  lime 

1,335 
1,410 

Sand  and  lime 

Sand  and  lime 

1,450 

Sand 

1,480 

Oil  sand 

1,519 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

The  records  along  the  A-A  section  give  an  idea  of  the  thickness  of  the 
drift  overlying  the  hard  rocks^  and  of  the  extensive  series  of  Pennsyl- 
vanian  and  Mississippian  rocks  at  many  points.  There  are  also  two 
records  in  which  the  positions  of  lower  formations  are  shown. 

The  drift  shows  considerable  variation  in  thickness.  Some  of  the 
records  show  it  to  be  thin,  due  to  conditions  of  deposition  or  to  later  ero- 
sion by  streams.  Well  No.  1  lies  within  the  Mississippi  Eiver  valley 
where  surficial  deposits  usually  exceed  100  feet  in  thickness.  This  drift 
covering  is  thinner  east  of  the  river  bluffs  and  measures  usually  from 
25  to  75  feet.  A  depth  of  at  least  155  feet  of  drift  has  been  recorded  in 
the  Sandoval  vicinit}^;  while  the  majority  of  wells  show  from  90  to  125 
feet.     Beneath  the  drift  occur  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks. 

The  Pennsylvaniau  or  "Coal  Measures"  rocks  are  distinguished  by  the 
presence  of  coals,  interbcdded  Avith  shale,  limestone,  and  an  occasional 
stratum  of  sandstone.  The  lower  part,  characterized  by  an  extreme  thick- 
ness of  massive  sandstones,  is  apparently  of  Pottsville  age.  Above  this 
the  strata  consist  largely  of  shale,  in  which  a  thick  coal  (No.  6)  is  con- 
spicuously persistent  along  the  section.  There  is  a  wide  variation  in 
thickness  of  these  upper  strata  from  St.  Louis  eastward.  They  are  about 
230  feet  thick  at  O'Fallon  and  include  but  one  distinct  coal.  At  Trenton, 
by  contrast,  thev  are  about  500  feet  thick  and  contain  three  thick  coals. 
The  thickness  is  590  feet  at  Carlyle,  725  feet  at  Odin,  900  feet  at  Salem, 
1,050  at  Tuka,  1,500  at  Sailor  Springs,  and  1,700  feet  at  Olney.  The 
increase  is  due  not  only  to  the  presence  of  liigher  and  higher  formations 
as  the  center  of  the  basin  is  approached  but  also  to  thickening  of  the  indi- 
vidual strata.  The  rocks  rise  from  Olney  eastward  to  the  La  Salle  anti- 
cline, and  so  the  thickness  diminishes  to  1,430  feet  at  Claremont,  1,100 
feet  at  Sumner,  and  approximately  800  feet  in  well  No.  29,  at  the  crest 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  85 

of  the  anticline.  The  principal  features  of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  are 
Xo.  0  coal,  the  Bridgeport  sands  and  the  conspicuous  Pottsville  sands, 
locally  called  ^'Buchanan. ^' 

Coal  Xo.  6  is  the  key  horizon  selected  froui  all  the  sections,  as  heing 
the  most  widespread  over  central  and  southern  Illinois,  and  the  hest  basis 
for  structure  study  in  this  and  other  cross-sections,  as  well  as  in  individual 
oil  areas  outside  of  the  main  fields.  It  is  easily  correlated  from  record 
Xo.  2  to  Xo.  21  (Salem)  but  is  in  doubt  from  Xo.  22  to  Xo.  29. 

A  group  of  sandstones,  called  the  Bridgeport  sands,  underlie  the  Xo. 
6  (  ?)  coal  at  a  short  distance,  as  shown  by  records  Xo.  24  to  28.  They 
presumably  lie  above  the  Pottsville,  though  this  fact  has  not  been  estab- 
lished. In  the  main  fields  they  have  l)een  found  highly  productive  of  oil 
in  and  about  Bridgeport  but  not  elsewhere.  The  group  is  generally  com.- 
posed  of  two  sands  and  often  three,  averaging  25  to  30  feet  thick,  and 
interbedded  with  streaks  of  shale. 

The  Pottsville  rocks  are  ol^viously  absent  from  St.  Louis  to  Aviston 
and  are  perhaps  present,  though  thin,  at  Carlyle.  The  first  record  of 
massive  sandstones  is  in  Xo.  18,  showing  a  thickness  of  235  feet.  The 
thickness  increases  to  the  east,  as  records  Xo.  20  to  Xo.  25  show  about 
330  feet  of  sands.  Data  are  not  available  for  study  further  eastward. 
These  Pottsville  sandstones  are  fairly  widespread  over  the  eastern  and 
central  portion  of  Illinois.  For  the  most  part  they  have  been  found  well 
saturated  with  salt  water,  but  devoid  of  oil  and  gas,  except  in  certain 
localities  along  the  crest  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The  Buchanan 
sand  around  Bridgeport  lies  in  the  Pottsville,  and  is  highly  productive. 
In  many  cases  the  initial  yield  is  by  natural  flow.  This  sandstone  is 
thought  to  be  identical  with  the  oil  sand  of  Princeton,  Indiana,  since  the 
])osition  and  thickness  of  the  latter  correspond  closely  to  it. 

The  Chester  formations  of  the  Mississippian  series  underlie  the  Penn- 
sylvanian rocks  and  are  characterized  by  a  succession  of  limestones  inter- 
lain  with  numerous  strata  of  sand  and  red  shale.  The  top  of  the  Chester 
is  generally  marked  by  the  first  limestone  underlying  the  Pottsville  sand- 
stone or  separated  from  it  by  a  stratum  of  shale.  The  top  limestone 
varies  in  its  depth  from  the  surface  and  in  its  distance  from  Xo.  6  coal 
along  the  section.  This  is  presented  in  detail  on  the  table  of  intervals 
(page  87).  It  is  traced  from  record  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  28,  virtually  the  full 
extent  of  the  section.  Xo.  4,  at  O'Fallon,  penetrates  250  feet  of  Chester 
formations  without  reaching  their  base.  The  next  Chester  record,  Xo. 
10,  is  the  onlv  one  in  the  section  that  passes  through  the  group.  It  re- 
veals 290  feet  of  Chester.  ^Yells  Xo.  16  to  20  show  from  350  to  450  feet, 
a  notable  increase  from  Xo.  10.  Record  Xo.  22  is  apparently  faulty  from 
the  top  of  the  Mississippian  do^\m,  and  therefore  the  Chester  correlations 
are  uncertaiu.  The  wells  from  Xo.  23  to  Xo.  26,  lying  within  the  deep- 
est part  of  the  Illinois  basin,  scarcely  penetrate  the  Chester.  l)ut  reach  it> 
top  in  most  cases.  The  influence  of  the  La  Salle  anticline  is  shown  by  the 
rapid  rise  in  the  formations  from  wells  Xo.  25  to  28.  The  Chester  forma- 
tions of  particular  interest  along  the  section  are  the  red  shales  and  under- 
lying sands. 


86  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  i6 

The  red  shales  are  prominent  horizon  markers  over  most  of  central 
and  southern  Illinois^  and  particular}}^  indicate  the  position  of  the  Benoist 
and  Kirkwood  sands.  The  table  (page  87),  compiled  from  the  records 
along  the  section,  shows  the  interval  from  the  red  shales  to  the  coal,  the 
Chester  top  limestone,  and  the  Benoist  or  Kirkwood  sand.  The  red 
sliales  and  No.  G  coal  diverge  from  300  to  920  feet  between  wells  No.  4 
and  23.  The  Chester  top  limestone  and  red  beds  show  considerable  di- 
vergence. No.  4  shows  an  interval  of  76  feet,  which  increases  to  330  feet 
in  No.  11.  Between  No.  11  and  No.  20,  the  interval  is  reasonably  uni- 
form and  from  the  latter  well  it  decreases  toward  the  east  in  the  limited 
number  of  records  available.  The  interval  between  the  red  beds  and  the 
Benoist  or  Kirkwood  sand  varies  along  the  section  from  42  to  134  feet. 

The  Chester  series  is  notable  as  being  widely  nroductive  of  oil.  It 
contains  the  Benoist  and  Stein  sands  of  Marion  County,  the  Lindley  gas 
sand  of  Greenville,  and  the  Sparta  oil  sand  of  Eandolph  County.  The 
Benoist  or  Kirkwood  sand,  which  bears  oil  and  gas  at  Sandoval  and 
Bridgeport  respectively,  is  correlated  from  wells  No.  4  to  No.  23,  and 
from  No.  28  to  No.  30.  It  conforms  with  the  general  behavior  of  rocks 
along  the  section  into  the  Illinois  basin.  The  table  shows  the  interval 
between  the  Benoist  sand  and  Coal  No.  6,  the  Chester  top  limestone,  and 
the  red  shales. 

The  formations  below  the  Chester  are  penetrated  only  in  wells  No.  1 
and  No.  10.  The  record  of  the  Monk's  Mound  well  (No.  1)  shows  the 
absence  of  the  Pennsylvanian  and  the  Chester  rocks  at  the  western  end  of 
the  section.  The  well  penetrates  the  so-called  "big  lime" — the  massive 
Mississippian  limestone  below  the  Chester  rocks — and  the  lower  rocks 
down  to  and  including  the  St.  Peter  sandstone.  This  sand  is  1,975  feet 
deep  and  125  feet  thick.  In  a  well  at  Mascoutah,  about  18  miles  south- 
east, the  St.  Peter  sandstone  is  2,890  feet  deep,  thus  showing  a  dip  in  that 
direction  of  ahout  900  feet.  Dr.  J.  A.  Udden  identifies  a  red  shale  in 
record  No.  1,  underlying  the  hard,  cherty,  Osage  limestone,  as  the  Fern 
Glen  formation.  This  probably  lies  close  to  the  base  of  the  Mississippian 
rocks.  It  occurs  also  in  well  No.  10  at  1,900  feet,  though  no  cherty  lime- 
stone is  reported  above  it. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  structure  or  '"lay"  of  the  rocks  along  the  A-A  cross-section  exhi- 
bits the  conspicuous  Illinois  basin.  Attention  is  called  to  the  key  horizon 
or  the  No.  6  coal,  which  is  definitely  known  over  about  one-half  the  sec- 
tion, while  in  the  remainder  it  is  doubtfully  identified.  The  prominent, 
horizons  below  the  No.  6  coal  corroborate  its  dips  and  aid  in  its  doubtful 
correlation  through  the  deeper  part  of  the  basin  and  the  La  Salle  anti- 
cline. The  structure  as  shown  by  the  No.  (>  coal,  the  Pottsville  sands,  and 
the  Chester  formations  deserves  detailed  mention. 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


87 


Table  of  slratigraphic  intervals. 


(A-A  cross  section.) 


-51 


Si 


1| 


o  5 

§5 


33  t;  "n 


"^  -        '       |l    1 


i  I 

X   S3 

2^ 


5    I 


2-^ 


I      I     |«l 


C  eg 

Hi 

IBI 


1 

415 

? 

500  outcrop 
560     212 
558'    212 
555;    207 
4701    180 
442     198 
480     271 
514     340 

472  320 
435i    323 

473  347 
435'    389 
458 j    440 
470     440 
510     570 
495     609 
4701    630 
520     715 
531'    715 
5301    740 
535;    892 
540     892 
540     815 
490   -1,020 
480   1,160 
502   1,071 
470     768 
520 i    578 
529: 

;;;:.;;: 

60 
123 

:::;::;:i   : 

3 

4 

335 

412 

492 

200 

280 

76 

156 

80 

6 





7 

1 

8 

q 

.  .. 

10 
11 
12 

658 
590 

788 
920 

878    338 
990    267 

468 
597 

558 
667 



130 
330 

220 
400 

•90 
70 

13 

1 

14 

■■■;'""i 

It 

■  1 

1 

16 

1,551 

981 

400 

17 

18 

18a 

19 

1,204 
1,345 

1,450 
1,595 

1,543 
1,656 

574 
630 

820 

880 

913      246 
941      2.50 

i39|  ■     93 
311       61 

20 

1,392 

1,635 



.  .  .*.  

652 

895 

243' 

?1 

22 



1,675 
1,630 
1,977 
2,100 

783 
815 

1 

i 

23 
24 

1,738 

1,780 

923 

965,      108 

150|       42 

?5 

12,200 

940 

U,240 

1 

26 



1 

?7 

j 

28 
9q 

1,305 

1,499 

i,633 
1,432 
1,519 

727 

921 

1,055.      194 

328|      i34 

30 

445 

1,220 

, 

299 

' 

i 

1  Estimated. 

The  accompanying  tal)le  of  intervals  is  compiled  from  the  records  of 
the  A-A  cross-section  so  as  to  show  the  position  of  Xo.  6  coal,  the  Chester 
top  limestone  and  red  shale,  and  the  Benoist  or  Kirkwood  sandstone.  The 
calculation  is  direct  where  the  horizons  are  known,  but  in  a  fcAV  cases  the 
positions  of  various  formations  and  their  intervals  are  estimated. 

TJie  I'ey  horizon  or  Xo.  6  coal.  From  the  outcrop  near  Caseyville, 
upon  the  highlands  above  the  Mississippi,  ^N^o.  6  coal  dips  152  feet  in  31/2 
miles  to  record  Xo.  3.  Between  N'os.  3  and  5,  the  coal  lies  horizontal, 
but  it  then  dips  23C  feet  in  15  miles  to  record  Xo.  11,  or  16  feet  per  mile. 

A  slight  rise  in  the  coal  of  14  feet  takes  place  in  one  mile  from  Xo.  11 
to  Xo.  12.  This  is  succeeded  by  a  sharp  decline  of  80  feet  to  Xo.  13. 
The  coal  dip?  very  gently  from  Xo.  13  to  Xo.  14,  and  rises  12  feet  to  Xo. 
15,  at  Carlyle.  It  dips  below  sea  level  between  Xo.  15  and  Xo.  16  near 
Sliattuc,  descenrling  90  feet  in  about  11  miles.     The  dip  from  Sandoval 


88  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

(No.  17)  to  Odin  (No.  19)  is  70  feet  in  4  miles,  or  at  the  rate  of  about 
18  feet  per  mile.  A  conspicuous  dip  between  the  mines  at  Odin  and 
Salem,  Nos.  19  and  21,  amounts  to  170  feet  in  5  miles,  or  31  feet  to  the 
mile.  There  appears  to  be  a  structural  terrace  from  No.  17  to  No.  19, 
bordered  at  the  east  by  a  sharp  eastward  dip.  While  coal  No.  6  is  positively 
identified  at  Salem  (No.  21),  from  that  place  eastward  the  identification 
of  the  predominant  coal  is  doubtful.  Well  No.  22,  a  recent  prospect, 
penetrated  coal  at  a  depth  of  892  feet,  which  is  thought  to  be  the  equiv- 
alent of  No.  6.  It  lies  at  the  level  of  the  coal  in  the  Salem  miuie  instead 
of  lying  lower,  as  woidd  be  expected.  The  fact  that  it  was  the  only  coal 
coming  to  the  attention  of  the  driller,  and  that  he  was  looking  for  the 
No.  6  coal,  should  be  given  considerable  weight.  If  the  coal  is  No.  6, 
then  this  vicinity  presents  a  marked  structure  in  the  coal,  not  indicated  in 
the  sands.  The  same  structure  is  perhaps  shown  more  prominently  east 
of  Duquoin,  discussed  on  page  110.  The  next  well.  No.  23,  drilled  by  the 
same  company,  shows  the  coal  about  75  feet  liigher,  another  exception  to 
the  uniform  eastward  dip.  From  record  No.  23,  eastward,  data  of  the 
key  horizon  are  lacking  until  Olney  is  reached.  In  well  No.  24  a  thin 
co£)l  is  noted  in  the  Pottsville  sandstones.  The  horizon  of  No.  6  is 
thought  to  lie  at  a  depth  of  1,010  feet.  At  Olney  (No.  25),  the  record 
shows  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  with  a  remarkable  thickness  of  about 
2,100  feet.  The  only  coal  of  consequence  is  noted  at  1,160  feet.  It 
possesses  a  thick  limestone  cap,  and  is  thought  to  be  No.  6.  The  dip  from 
No.  23  to  No.  25  is  405  feet  in  40  miles,  or  about  10  feet  per  mile.  From 
No.  25  the  coal  begins  its  upward  course  on  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The 
rise  from  No.  25  to  No.  26  is  111  feet  in  6  miles,  and  from  No.  26  to  No. 
27,  271  feet  in  5%  miles.  The  rate  of  ascent  per  mile  is  about  18  and 
50  feet  respectively.  A  coal  recorded  in  No.  28  at  a  depth  of  578  feel 
is  similarly  situated  to  the  coal  in  No.  27;  it  rises  240  feet  in  about  2i/2 
miles.  Since  coal  data  are  entirely  lacking  from  No.  28  eastward,  the 
structure  is  based  upon  the  Kirkwood  sand. 

Bridgeport  sands.  The  Bridgeport  sands  are  correlated  from  records 
No.  24  to  No.  28.  They  lie  at  the  respective  depths  of  1,336,  1,415,  1,200, 
852,  and  790  feet.  The  dip  from  No.  24  to  No.  25  is  89  feet  and  the 
rise  from  No.  25  to  No.  28  is  665  feet.  These  changes  in  elevation  con- 
form to  the  position  of  the  deep  basin  and  the  adjoining  anticline. 

Pottsville  sands.  The  Pottsville,  massive  sandstones,  are  correlated 
from  record  No.  18  to  No.  30.  The  dip  from  No.  18  to  No.  22  conforms 
approximately  to  that  in  the  coal  above  and  is  360  feet  in  about  15  miles, 
or  24  feet  per  mile.  A  rise,  paralleling  that  of  No.  6  coal,  takes  place 
in  the  sand  from  No.  22  to  No.  23.  The  dip  from  No.  23  to  the  bottom 
of  the  basin  (No.  25)  is  715  feet  in  about  37  miles.  The  sandstone  rises 
rapidly  with  the  La  Salle  anticline  and  reaches  its  crest  in  well  No.  29. 
The  elevation  from  No.  25  to  No.  29  is  about  985  feet  in  about  17  miles, 
or  about  58  feet  per  mile.  This  dip  of  the  western  side  of  the  anticline 
is  very  rapid  compared  to  the  east  side. 


BLATCHLEYj  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  89 

The  Chester  formations.  The  various  important  members  of  the  Ches- 
ter formations,  as  correlated  along  the  section,  diverge  from  Xo.  6  coal, 
but  pu'sent  a  similar  structure. 

The  top  limestone  is  absent  in  records  Xos.  1,  2,  and  3.  It  apparently 
has  an  even  dip  of  about  380  feet  in  14  miles  from  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  10.  A  rise 
of  31  feet  occurs  between  Xo.  10  and  Xo.  11,  followed  by  a  long  dip  of 
about  580  feet  in  27  miles  to  Xo.  18.  The  rate  of  dip  is  about  20  feet 
per  mile.  There  is  apparently  a  terrace  structure  to  the  immediate  west 
of  Xo.  18,  as  compared  to  the  very  rapid  dip  to  Xo.  18a.  The  fall  in  the 
stratum  is  about  86  feet  in  3  miles.  This  sharp  gradation  is  similar  to 
the  dip  of  Xo.  6  coal  between  Odin  and  Salem.  A  rise  takes  place  in  tb.? 
limestone  from  Xo.  22  to  23,  corresponding  to  the  coal  above,  while  from 
Xo.  23  to  Xo.  25,  a  pronounced  dip  corroborates  the  structure  of  the 
Illinois  basin  as  shown  in  the  key  horizon.  The  limestone  rises  rapidly 
to  the  east  of  Xo.  25,  thus  conforming  to  the  La  Salle  anticline. 

The  red  shales  are  correlated  from  record  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  23  and  con- 
form closel}'  in  structure  to  the  Chester  top  limestone,  except  for  the  re- 
versal of  dip  in  wells  Xo.  11  and  Xo.  23. 

The  Benoist  sand  is  correlated  from  record  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  23,  and  is 
identical  in  structure  to  the  overlying  red  shale.  It  is  not  reached  be- 
tween Xo.  23  and  Xo.  27  but  appears  as  the  Kirkwood  sand  in  Xo.  28. 
The  position  of  the  line  outlining  the  profile  of  the  Kirkwood  sand  across 
the  La  Salle  anticline,  or  from  well  Xo.  28  to  Xo.  30,  is  accurately  based 
upon  the  detailed  study  of  the  contour  map  of  that  sand.  This  map 
will  be  published  in  the  later  report  upon  the  main  oil  field.  The  line 
across  the  anticline  follows  the  old  State  road  north  of  Bridgeport  and 
east  into  Lawrenceville.  The  rise  in  the  Kirkwood  sand  from  Xo.  28  to 
Xo.  29  is  210  feet  in  a  distance  slightly  more  than  1  mile.  Well  Xo. 
29  marks  the  crest  of  the  anticline  or  the  highest  recorded  point  in  the 
Kirkwood  sand.  There  is  a  dip  from  Xo.  29  to  Xo.  30  of  171  feet  in 
about  11/2  miles. 

Conclusion.  The  most  promising  structural  features  along  this  section 
are  enumerated  in  the  following  list,  and  are  descril^ed  in  more  detail 
on  page  167. 

1.  The  flat  'terrace"  at  O'Fallon. 

2.  A  mild  arch  at  Aviston. 

3.  A  slight  arch  at  Carlyle. 

4.  The  irregular  Sandoval  and  Odin  "terrace." 

5.  The  luka  arch. 

Cross-Sectiox  B-B. 

Cross-section  B-B  (PI.  8)  is  chosen  along  a  line  between  the  towns  of 
Belleville  in  St.  Clair  County,  Opdyke  in  Jefferson  County,  Delafield  in 
Hamilton  County,  Eldorado  in  Saline  Count v,  and  Equalitv  in  Gallatin 
County.  It  parallels  the  Louisville  and  Xashville  Eailway  between  these 
points,  and  does  not  continue  in  a  straight  line.  From  Belleville  to 
Opdyke  the  section  corresponds  to  the  A-A  section  (PI.  7)  between  O'Fal- 
lon and  Salem  and  corroborates  its  structural  features.     Stratigraphic 


90 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


data  were  not  abundant  but  the  structure  is  sbown  in  a  striking  manner. 
The  section  is  made  up  of  the  following  records,  wliich  correspond  by 
number  to  those  printed  on  Plate  8. 


LOGS. 

(No.  1). 

Consolidated  Coal  Company  (Green  Mountain  Mine). 

Location — Near  center  west  line  sec.  16,  T.  1  N.,  R.  8  W. 

Elevation — 545  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  150  feet. 

(No.  2). 

Pittsburg  Mining  Company. 

Location— In  the  S.  W.  %  sec.  16,  T.  1  N.,  R.  8  W. 

Elevation— 550  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  130  feet. 

(No.   3). 

White  and  Neshitt  Mine. 

Location — At  the  corner  of  North   Illinois  and   Gilbert  streets,  Belleville. 

Elevation— 495  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  74  feet. 

(No.    4). 

Belleville  Natural  Gas  Company. 

Location — One  and  three-fourths  miles  northwest  of  the  public  square  in 
Belleville. 
Elevation — 550  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Soil  and  clay 

26 

2 

34 

58 

8 

15 

7 

2 

169 

14 

3 

10 

8 

47 

10 

12 

12 

15 

87 

21 

25 

19 

13 

16 

21 

100 

93 

.    86 

10 

36 

56 

70 

20 

25 

20 

26 

28 

Clay 

62 

Hard  lime  rock 

.      120 

Gray  lime  rock 

128 

Close-grained  lime  rock                                                                                      

143 

Coal  (No.  6) 

150 

Fire  clay 

152 

321 

Sandstone 

335 

Black  slate 

338 

White  sand 

348 

Soft  slate 

356 

Sand  (water) 

403 

White  sand     ...                                                                                      

413 

Gray  sand  and  slate 

425 

White  shale                                                                                              

437 

452 

Sandstone                                                                                                            

539 

560 

Limestone 

585 

604 

Limestone 

617 

633 

654 

Shale                                           

754 

Limestone                                                                                                           - .  -  - 

847 

Shale                                                      

933 

Sandstone                                                                                                  -        

943 

979 

Shale             •                                                                                               

1,035 

1,105 

Black  shale                                                                                            .        

1,125 

1,150 

Chert  y  rock 

1,170 

BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


91 


(No.  4A). 


Glenclale  Coal  and  Mining  Company  (Abandoned). 


Location — On  the  north  side  of  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  Railway,  about 
one  mile  east  of  the  public  square  in  Belleville. 
Elevation — 510   feet. 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  120  feet. 

(No.   5). 

East  Belleville  Mine  (Abandoned). 

Location— In  sec.  26,  T.  1  N.,  R.  8  W. 
Elevation— 490  feet. 
No.  6  coal  at  66  feet. 


(No.  6) 


Southern  Coal  and  Mining  Company  (Mine  No.  6). 


Location— In  sec.  14,  T.  1  N.,  R.  8  W. 

Elevation— 548  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  148  feet. 

(No.   7). 

Southern  Coal  and  Mining  Company  (Mine  No.  1). 

Location— In  sec.  18,  T.  1  N.,  R.  7  W. 

Elevation— 522  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  120  feet. 

(No.  8). 

Turkey  Hill  Mine. 

Location— In  sec.  32,  T.  1  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — 455  feet   (estimated). 
Base  of  coal  No.  6,  110  feet. 


(No.  9) 


Missouri  and  Illinois  Coal  Company  (Rentchler  Mine). 


Location— At  Rentchler,  sec.  33,  T.  1  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation— 450  feet. 
Coal  No.  6  at  110  feet. 


(No.  10) 


Beatty  Coal  Company   (Mascoutah  Mine). 


Location — In  sec.  31,  north  side  of  Mascoutah,  T.  1  N.,  R.  6  W. 
Elevation— 430  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  165  feet. 


(No.   11). 


P.  H.  Postel  Milling  Company  (Well).^ 


Location— At  Mascoutah,  Illinois,  sec.  32,  T.  1  N.,  R.  6  W. 
Elevation — 430  feet   (estimated). 


Thickness 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Feet. 

30 

30 

5 

35 

5   - 

40 

64 

104 

8 

112 

30 

142 

3 

145 

Loess 

Quick  sand 

White  sand 

Sand,  gravel  and  other  drift. 
Limestone 


Hard,  coaly  shale. 
Limestone 


'It  is  reported  that  two  barrels  of  oil  per  day  have  been  gotten  at  times  from  this  well. 


92 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  {bull.  no.  16 

P.  H.  Postel  Milling  Company  (Well). — ^Concluded. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Coal  (No.  6) 

6 
15 
10 
25 
5 

50 

40 

45 

45 

35 

113 

5 

45 

25 

20 

55 

20 

20 

460 

420 

390 

70 

126 

127 

449 

58 

10 

54 

219 

151 

Shale       

166 

Soapstone 

176 

Shale                           

201 

Coal 

206 

White  shale                  

256 

296 

White  shale                   

341 

Red  rock 

386 

Shale 

421 

"  Cave"  shale  to  540 

534 

Limestone 

539 

Sandstone 

584 

Shale 

609 

Limestone    

629 

Red  rock  (probably  a  hard  calcareous  shale) 

684 

White  shale 

704 

Sandstone  (Benoist?) 

724 

Limestone 

1,184 

Shale  rock 

1,604 

Shaly  lime 

1,994 
2,064 
2,190 
2,317 
2,766 
2,824 
2,834 
2,888 
3,107 

Red  marl 

Limestone 

Shale  rock      

Limestone 

Shale  rock              

Shale  and  lime 

(No.  12). 


Okawville  Shaft. 


A.  H.  Worthen  in  Vol.  VII,  Geological  Survey  of  Illinois,  p.  11,  states  that 
a  shaft  sunk  at  Okawville  reached  an  irregular  bed  of  good  coal  at  about 
276  feet.  Some  doubt  was  expressed  by  Worthen  as  to  the  bed  being  No.  6, 
but  upon  correlation  it  seems  to  fit  the  general  dip  of  that  coal. 

Elevation — (Estimated)    460  feet. 


(No.  13). 


Nashville  Coal  Shaft  (Consolidated  Coal  Co.) 


Location — In  the  city  of  Nashville, 
Elevation — ^( Estimated)    510  feet. 
Base  of  coal  No.  6  at  420  feet. 


sec.  13,  T.  2  S.,  R.  3  W. 


(No.  14), 


Nicholson  Coal  Company. 


Location— In  the  N.  E.  l^  S.  E.  ^4  sec.  13,  T.  2  S. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   500  feet. 
Base  of  coal  No.  6,  431  feet. 


R.  3  W. 


(No.   15) 


Mt.  Vernon  Coal  Prospect. 
At  Mt.  Vernon,  Jefferson  County. 


Location 

Elevation — (Estimated)   490  feet 

Base  of  Coal  No.  6,  851  feet. 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


93 


(No.  16). 


Opdyke  Coal  Prospect,  Jefferson  County. 


Location— N.  E.  14  S.  E.  i^  sec.  5,  T.  4  N.,  R.  4  W. 
Elevation — (Estimated)    500  feet. 
Coal,  No.  6,  931  feet. 


(No.  17), 


Delafield  Coal  Company  (Coal  Prospect).^ 


Location— In  the  W.  %  N.  E.  i/4  sec.  34,  T.  4  N.,  R.  5  W.,  Hamilton  County. 
Elevation — 450  feet   (estimated). 


Thickness— 

Depth- 

Fee.. 

Inches . 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Recent  and  Pleistocene. 
Surface  material 

13 

7 
9 
9 

6 

6 

6 

10 

8"' 

13 

20 
30 
39 
40 
43 
63 

Coal  Measures— Pennsyhanian. 
Soft  blue  .shale  .             

6 

Sandstone .  

Blue  shale 

6 

Coal 

4 

3 

19 
15 
51 
10 
23 
15 
30 
39 

1 

1 

10 

17 

5 

1 

1 

3 

19 

30 

8 

35 

23 

5 

6 

3 

3 

10 

4 

Sandstone                             

Bine  shale        

Blue  shale 

6 
6 

129 

6 

Sandstone 

163 

Blue  sand  shale 

208 

Blue  shale 

::::;::: 

Blue  shale 

6 
2 

4 
5 

270 
271 
272 

282 

6 

Coal  .   . 

8 

Blue  shale 

8 

Limestone 

8 

Blue  shale 

Dark  .shale 

Blue  shale 

306 
307 
311 

5 

Lime  rock 

5 

Black  shale 

Blue  shale 

Blue  shale 

350 

Sandstone 

Sandstone 

Sandstone 

6 
6 

426 

6 

Limestone 

Limestone 

438 

Black  slate 

Black  slate 

3" 

444 
454 
454 
457 

458 

Blue  sand  shale 

3 

Coal 

3 

Fire  clay 

3 

1 

20 

13 

12 

10 

20 

27 

12 

20 

11 

1 

7 

20 

8 

6 

2 

4 

3 

Biue  shale 

3 

Sand  shale  with  hard  band 

Sand  shale  with  hard  band 

491 

3 

Sand  shale 

Sand  shale 

Sand  shale 

Sand  shale 

560 

3 

Blue  .shale 

Blue  shale 

4" 

592 
603 
609 

3 

Light  sand  shale 

3 

Coal 

Light  sand  shale 

Sand  shale 

631 

■J 

Light  shale 

Blue  shale 

8 

646 
648 
652 

3 

Limestone 

3 

Light  shale 

3 

Udden,  Jon  A.,  The  Delafield  Drill  Core:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Surrey  No.  4,  p.  204. 


94 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  BULL.  no.  16 

Delafleld  Coal  Company  (Goal  Prospect) — Concluded. 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Feet. 

Inches, 

Coal  Measures— Pennsylvanian— Concluded . 
Sandstone 

10 

7 
2 

Sandstone        .     . .          

6'" 

6 

669 
671 
672 
682 
683 
686 

3 

Black  shale 

9 

Coal           .                       

3 

Light  shale,  soft 

10 

1 

3 

12 

15 

30 

6 

10 

29 

2 

3 

Limestone 

3 

3 

Sandstone 

Sandstone 

Sandstone 

743 
749 

3 

Sand  shale 

3 

Blue  shale 

Blue  shale .        

6" 

s" 

:::::::: 

........ 

788 
790 
790 
794 

3 

Black  slate 

3 

Coal    ... 

9 

4 

1 
3 

1 

2 
7 
8 
2 

10 
8 
5 
2 
5 

17 
3 
3 
2 

12 
2 

16 

9 

Limestone 

Soft  limestone 

799 
800 
801 
803 
811 
819 

5 

Black  slate 

5 

Coal 

5 

Fire  clay 

5 

Light  snale 

4 

Limestone 

4 

Black  slate        .  . 

Light  slate 

Light  slate 

844 
846 

4 

Coal 

4 

Sand  shale 

868 

4 

Limestone 

6"' 

6'" 

6 

3" 

9 

874 
876 
888 
907 

4 

Blue  shale 

4 

Sand  shale 

10 

Sand  shale            .                

4 

Sand  shale 

Soft  black  shale 

2 
4 
5 

909 
913 
919 
919 

10 

Blue  limestone 

10 

Coal-limestone 

1 

Fire  clay 

10 

(No.  18), 


Elm  Grove  Coal  Company  (Coal  Prospect).^ 


Location— In  sec.  27,  T.  4  S.,  R.  6  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated)    410  feet. 


Recent  and  Pleistocene. 


Surface 

Light  clay. 
Hard  pan . 


Coal  Measures— Pennsylvanian . 


Shale,  blue  and  black. 
Coal 


Thickness- 


Feet.     Inches . 


Depth- 


Feet.     Inches. 


1  This  record  was  not  drawn  upon  the  cross-section,  because  it  is  located  at  some  distance  away.    How- 
ever, it  is  presented  as  a  deep  record  of  unusual  interest.    The  correlations  are  by  Mr.  DeWolf. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  95 

Elm  Grove  Coal  Company  (Coal  Prospect) — Concluded. 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Coal  Measures— Pennsylvanian—Concluded . 

I 

i         1 
17 

i           1 

2 

38 

!                  1 

'          2 
39 
64 
33 

1 

10 

110 

4 

40 

39 

3 

82 

16 

2 

8 

4 

79 

30 

4 

2 

16 

107 

24 

1          ^6 

7 
5 
6 
9 
9 

e" 

6 

6" 

6"' 

6" 

6 
6 
2 
4 

2" 

10 

i" 

11 
11 

Sand  shale 

52 

53 

56 

94 

96 

99 

138 

202 

295 

296 

298 

308 

418 

422 

462 

501 

504 

586 

602 

604 

612 

616 

695 

702 

732 

736 

738 

754 

861 

885 

885 

889 

959 

963 

964 

968 

972 

975 

984 

996 

1,013 

1,019 

1,027 

1,028 

1,036 

1,052 

1,064 

1,065 

1,084 

1,097 

1,102 

1,103 

1,117 

1,123 

1,132 

1,175 

1,182 

1,185 

1,188 

1,197 

1,200 

1,202 

1,246 

1,261 

1,294 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

6 

Coal     . 

3 

Light  shale 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale 

Blue  shale 

Coal 

5 

Fire  clay 

Light  shale 

Sand  shale 

Limestone. ...                                        .                             .      .          . . 

Sand  shale 

Blue  shale ... 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale ...                                   .                             .                . 

Blue  shale 

Limestone..   . 

Light  shale 

Black  slate 

Sand  shale 

Light  shale 

Light  sandstone 

Limestone 

Light  shale 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone .          ...      .                   

Blue  shale 

Coal 

6 

Fire  clay 

4 

69 

4 

1 

4 

4 

4 

8 

12 

17 

5 

1 

7 

16 

12 

1 

18 

13 

5 

11 

14 

6 

9 

43 

7 

3 

3 

9 

3 

2 

44 

15 

33 

6 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone 

Black  slate 

Sand  shale 

Green  shale 

Limestone 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale 

6 

Limestone 

Coal  (No.  6) 

6 

Fire  clay 

8 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone 

Sandstone 

Coal 

2 

Sandstone 

Blue  shale 

Coal  (No.  5) 

'^-     1 

Fire  clay 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone .                      .      . 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone 

Limestone 

Black  shale 

Sandstone 

Black  shale 

Limestone 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale 

Sandstone 

Place  of  coal  No.  2 

96  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  l6 

(No.  19). 

Knights  Prairie  Coal  Co.  (Coal  Prospect). 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  14  N.  B.  14  sec.  22,  T.  5  S.,  R.  6  B. 
Elevation— (Estimated)    400  feet. 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  955  feet. 

(No.  20). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  S.  E  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  17,  T.  8  S.,  R.  7  E. 

Elevation— 410  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  365  feet. 

(No.  21). 

O'Gara  Coal  Company  (Mine  No.  10). 

Location— At  Eldorado,  in  sec.  21,  T.  8  S.,  R.  7  E. 

Elevation— 392   feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  262  feet.     Coal  No.  5  is  mined  for  shipment  at  Eldorado. 

(No.  22). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  i^  sec.  34,  T.  8  S.,  R.  7  B. 

Elevation— 385   feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  190  feet. 

(No.  23). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  V^  N.  W.  14  sec.  2,  T.  9  S.,  R.  7  E. 

Elevation— 380  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  165  feet. 

(No.  24). 

Coal  Mine  (Abandoned). 

Location— In  the  S.  W.  V,   N.  W.  Vi  sec.  1,  T.  9  S.,  R.  7  E. 

Elevation— 386  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  30  feet. 

(No.  25). 

Coal  No.  6,  OntcropA 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  corner  S.  W.  14  sec.  17,  T.  9  S.,  R.  8  E. 
Elevation— 375   feet. 

STRATIGKAPIIY.  AND  STRUCTURE. 

The  stratigraphy  exhibited  by  tlie  B-B  section  is  limited  to  records 
No.  4  and  No.  11.  The  remainder  of  the  section  is  a  skeleton  view  of 
the  structure  shown  by  the  key  horizon  or  No.  6  coal. 

It  will  be  sufficient  to  call  attention  to  the  presence  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vanian  ("Coal  Measures"),  the  Chester  red  shale,  the  "big  limestone," 
the  Fern  Glen  shale,  and  the  St.  Peter  sandstone.  In  well  No.  4  the 
Benoist  sand  is  probably  present  just  below  the  red  shale.  The  Pottsville 
(Buchanan?),  sands  may  be  represented  just  above  the  red  shale. 


'DeWolf,  F.  W.,  The  Saline-Gallatin  Coal  Field:    Bull.  HI.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  Pi.  8. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOUBCES.  9* 

The  B-B  section  is  almost  exclusively  a  structural  study  based  on  Xo. 
6  coal.  It  portrays  a  profile  of  the  great  Illinois  basin,  including  several 
minor  deformations  similar  in  character  to  some  on  the  A-A  section 
(PL  7).  The  structure  from  Belleville  to  Mt.  Vernon  is  particularly 
valuable  in  corroborating  the  section  to  the  north.  Beyond  Mt.  Vernon 
the  direction  of  the  section  changes  to  the  southeast.  The  dip  of  Xo. 
6  coal  is  described  in  detail. 

The  Xo.  6  coal  rises  slightly  from  Xo.  1  to  X'o.  3  and  dips  rapidly  from 
thence  into  a  mild  trough  or  syncline  at  Belleville.  Thus,  a  small  anti- 
cline is  pictured  with  its  crest  between  Xo.  2  and  Xo.  3.  A  second  anti- 
cline lies  east  of  the  Belleville  basin  and  has  its  crest  near  well  Xo.  5. 
The  crests  of  the  two  arches  lie  within  3  miles  of  each  other.  The  coal 
dips  gradually  from  Xo.  5  to  Xo.  10^  located  10  miles  east  of  Belleville. 
Its  dip  is  159  feet  or  about  16  feet  per  mile.  The  coal  at  Mascoutah 
rises  slightly  to  the  east;  data  are  not  available  to  indicate  the  extent  of 
the  rise  except  between  records  Xos.  10  and  11.  From  Xo.  11  to  Xo.  IG, 
a  distance  of  50  miles  the  records  are  sufficient  to  identify  the  coal  but 
not  to  show  the  presence  of  terraces  and  minor  anticlines.  The  dip  of 
the  coal  appears  gradual  from  Xo.  11  to  Xo.  13,  amounting  to  189  feet 
in  24  miles,  or  about  8  feet  per  mile.  This  corresponds  to  the  even  trend 
of  the  coal  on  the  A-A  section  (PL  7)  between  Breese  and  Shattuc.  The 
uniform  descent  of  the  coal  is  interrupted  at  Xashville  between  wells  Xos. 
13  and  11,  while  from  Xo.  11  to  Xo.  15,  a  distance  of  23  miles,  there  is 
a  dip  of  451  feet  or  about  20  feet  to  the  mile.  It  is  probable,  from  the 
change  in  the  slope  of  the  coal  that  a  condition  similar  to  that  between 
Sandoval  and  Salem  exists  between  Ashley  and  Xashville.  The  dip  of  the 
coal  continues  from  Mt.  Vernon  to  Opdyke,  but  decreases  from  Xo.  16 
to  Xo.  IT.  This  would  be  suggestive  of  oil  accumulation,  upon  the 
condition  that  the  sands  are  free  from  salt  water.  The  coal  dips  again 
from  Xo.  17  to  Xo.  19,  where  it  reaches  the  depth  of  1,027  feet.  This 
is  at,  or  near,  the  extreme  bottom  of  the  Illinois  basin.  The  coal  rises 
very  rapidly  to  the  south  in  the  next  25  miles.  The  rise  between  Xo.  9 
and  Xo.  20  is  600  feet  or  at  the  average  rate  of  about  5  feet  per  mile. 
Between  Xos.  20  and  25  where  data  are  numerous  the  lie  of  the  coal  is 
shown  to  be  far  from  regular.  The  incline  from  Xo.  20  to  Xo.  21  is  about 
45  feet  in  one  mile,  while  from  Xo.  21  to  Xo.  22  it  is  65  feet  in  2  miles 
or  32  feet  per  mile.  This  is  succeeded  by  a  particularly  sharp  rise  of  141 
feet  in  about  I14  miles  from  Xo.  23  to  24.  The  correlation  line  from 
Xo.  24  to  Xo.  25  was  drawn  from  contours  upon  the  coal.^  A  small  but 
well-defined  anticline  exists  in  the  coal  about  2I/2  miles  northwest  of 
Equality.  Eecord  Xo.  25  marks  the  outcrop  of  Xo.  6  coal,  a  short  dis- 
tance northwest  of  Equality. 

CONCLUSIOX. 

The  most  promising  structural  features  along  this  section  are  enumer- 
ated in  the  following  list,  and  are  described  in  more  detail  on  page  168. 


'DeWolf,  F.  W.,  The  Saline-GaUatin  Coal  Field:    BuU.  111.  State  Geol.  Sur\-ey  No.  8,  (map)  p.  214. 
—7    G 


98  YEAR-BOOk    FOR    1909.  [BULL.  NO.  16 

1.  A  small  anticline  west  of  Belleville,  perhaps  corresponding  to  the 
O'Fallon  deformation  on  the  A — A  section. 

2.  A  small  arch  east  of  Belleville,  perhaps  corresponding  to  the  O'Fallon 
deformation. 

3.  A  slight  arch  east  of  Mascoutah,  apparently  corresponding  to  the 
Aviston  deformation. 

4.  Probable  terrace  between  Beaucoup  and  Ashley  in  Washington  County, 
along  the  Sandoval-Duquoin  "terrace." 

5.  A  sharply  defined  but  small  anticline  between  Eldorado  and  Equality. 

6.  A  flat  between  Opdyke  and  Delafield.  Suggestive  for  oil  accumulation 
if  the  sands  are  free  from  salt  water,  which  probably  is  not  the  fact. 

Cross-section  C-C. 

Cross-section  C-C  is  plotted  along  a  line  from  New  Athens  to  Duquoin, 
Benton,  Eileyville,  and  Eldorado.  It  follows  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
way closely  between  these  points  and  is  especially  valuable  since  it  is  based 
on  a  large  number  of  coal  bores  and  mines.  The  section  fortunately 
passes  through  a  series  of  quadrangles,  east  of  Duquoin,  on  wliich  have 
been  contoured  in  detail  No.  6  and  No.  5  coals.  These  are  the  Herrin, 
West  Frankfort,  Galatia,  and  Eldorado  quadrangles.  The  No.  6  coal 
structure  of  the  first  two  areas  is  discussed  and  illustrated  elsewhere  in 
this  bulletin  in  articles  written  by  T.  E.  Savage  and  G.  H.  Cady.  The 
two  last  areas  have  been  described  elsewhere.^  The  section  is  based  upon 
the  following  records  which  correspond  by  number  to  those  on  Plate  9. 

LOGS. 

(No.  1). 

The  Mascoutah  record  is  projected  into  this  section  in  order  to  show  the 
position  of  the  lower  formations.  The  record  was  presented  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  cross-section  B — B   (p.  91). 

(No.  2). 

Kolb  Goal  Company   (Fairbanks  No.  2  Mine). 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  14  sec.  2,  T.  3  S.,  R.  7  W. 

Elevation— 453  feet. 

Base  of  coal.  No.  6,  96  feet. 

(No.  3). 

Bessemer   Washed   Coal   Company   (Lenzburg  Mine). 

Location— In  the  S.  W.  V^  S.  W.  i^  sec.  7,  T.  3  S.,  R.  G  W. 

Elevation — 440  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  100  feet. 

(No.  4). 

Borders  Coal  Company  (Mine  No.  2). 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  i^  S.  W.  l^  sec.  21,  T.  3  S.,  R.  6  W. 

Elevation— 446  feet. 

Base  of  coal.  No.  6,  60  feet. 


' De Wolf,  F.  W.,  Coal  investigations  in  the  Saline-Gallatin  field,   Ulinois   and   the   adjoining  area 
Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  pp.  211-245. 


BLATCHLEY] 

(No.    5). 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


Consolidated  Coal  Company  (Bore  Hole  for  Water). 


Location— Marissa,  T.  3  S.,  R.  6  W. 
Elevation — (Estimated)    480  feet. 


99 


Thickness 
Feet. 


Depthr- 


Fe 


Soil 

Slate 

Coal 

Rock  and  slate 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

Blue  limestone •. 

White  slate 

White  slate  or  sandstone 

Black  slate 

Slate 

Soft  rock  or  shale . . . : 

Black  slate 

.  Coal 

Hard,  gray  clay 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

White  sandstone  (salt  water) 

Slate 

Sandstone 

Slate : 

Limestone 

Blue  slate 

Limestone  rock 

Red  soapstone , . 

Limestone 

Slate 

Limestone 

Soapstone 

Soapstone 

Limestone  (very  hard) 

Soapstone 

White  sand  (salt  water  and  oil) 

Dark-gray  limestone  (ver j^  porous,  some  gas) 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

Red  soapstone 

Limestone 

Red  soapstone 

Limestone  rock 

Red  clay 

Dark  sandstone 

Red  clay 

Slate 


44 
50 
52 
88 
94 
104 
110 
127 
151 
159 
163 
221 
228 
229 
236 
240 
248 
262 
282 
292 
304 
333 
404 
454 
469 
517 
521 
548 
558 
568 
595 
608 
631 
664 
674 


701 
723 
734 
759 

784 
788 
798 


(No.  6). 

Marissa  Coal  and  Milling  Company  (Marissa  Mine). 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  %  S.  E.  14  sec.  27,  T.  3  js.,  R.  6  W. 

Elevation— 502   feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  120  feet. 

(No.  7). 

Johnson  Coal  Company   (0.  K.  Mine). 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  i^  N.  W.  14  sec.  35,  T.  3  S.,  R.  6  W. 

Elevation— 492  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  125  feet. 

(No.  8). 

Bessemer  Washed  Coal  Company  (Oak  Ridge  Mine). 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  35,  T.  3  S.,  R.  6  W. 

Elevation — 510  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  156  feet. 


100 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.    16 


(No.    9). 

Jones  Brothers  Goal  and  Mining  Go.  (Eureka  Mine  No.   1). 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  l^  N.  W.  ^  sec.  6,  T.  4  S.,  R.  5  W. 

Elevation — 518  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  120  feet. 


(No.  10) 


Bessemer  Washed  Goal  Gompany  (Tilden  Mine). 


Location— In  the  S.  W.  i^  N.  E.  %  sec.  6,  T.  4  S.,  R.  5  W. 

Elevation— 512  feet. 

Base  of  coal.  No.  6,  190  feet. 


(No.  11) 


Bessemer  Washed   Goal  Gompany  (Crystal  Mine). 


Location— In  the  S.  W.  14  N.  E.  %  sec.  6,  T.  4  S.,  R.  5  W. 

Elevation— 512  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  217  feet. 


(No.  12), 


Oil  Prospeet. 


Location — Near  the  Union  Depot,  Coulterville,  sec.  13,  T.  4  S.,  R.  5  W. 
Elevation — 545  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Drift...     .                                                                                    .  .             

30 
50 
20 
40 
15 
45 
20 
75 
15 

7 
30 
25 
23 

8 
20 

10 
5 

20 
10 
25 
20 
15 
20 
55 
40 
215 
10 
10 
15 
20 
40 
10 
40 
30 
20 
25 
25 
17 

30 

Slate 

80 

Soapstone                                                                                                              

100 

Black  slate 

140 

Soapstone 

155 

Slate 

200 

Soapstone 

220 

Slate 

295 

Limestone 

310 

Coal .                                                                                                                

317 

347 

Slate 

372 

Black  slate                                                           

385 

Coal 

393 

Slate..                                                                               

413 

Limestone 

420 

Black  slate                                                                              

430 

435 

White  slate                                                                                                 

455 

465 

White  slate 

490 

Limestone                                                            .          

510 

525 

Brown  slate                                                                 

545 

600 

Slate                                                                                        

640 

Sand . .                               

855 

Slate                                                                                             

865 

Limestone                                .          

875 

Slate 

890 

910 

Slate 

950 

Red  rock                                                       

960 

1,000 

Red  rock                                                      .             

1,030 

1,050 

Slate                                                                            

1,075 

Red  slate                                        

1,100 

White  sand  ("salt  water")  f  Benoist'^                                    

1,117 

blatchley] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


101 


(No.  13). 

Randolph  County  Coal  Cornpany  (Mine  near  Coulterville). 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  \i  N.  W.  Vi  sec.  13,  T.  4  S.,  R.  5  W. 

Elevation — 545  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  313  feet. 


(No.  14) 


St.  Lonis-Coulterville  Coal  Company  (East  Mine). 


Location — About  two  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Swanwick,  in  the  S.  W. 
1/4  N.  W.  1/4  sec.  18,  T.  4  S.,  R.  4  W. 
Elevation— 520  feet. 
Base  of  coal.  No.  6,  282  feet. 

(No.  15). 

Avery  Coal  and  Mining  Company  (Bald  Eagle  Mine). 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  14  sec.  25,  T.  4  S.,  R.  4  W. 

Elevation— 565  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.' 6,  251  feet. 


(No.  16), 


Oil  Prospect. 


Location— W.  H.  Smith  farm,  sec.  12,  T.  5  S.,  R.  3  W. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   460  feet. 


!  Thickness 
Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Soil  and  quick  sand 

Hard  lime 

Slate  and  soapstone 

Lime  shell 

Coal 

Slate  and  shells 

Lime 

Slate  and  lime  mixed 

Fresh-water  sand 

Slate  and  water  sand 

Salt-water  sand 

Slate  and  shells  mixed . . . 

Very  hard  lime  shells 

Soft  slate 

Slate  and  hard  shells 

Hard  lime  shells 

Slate 

Salt-water  sand 

Black  slate 

Slate  and  salt-water  sand . 

Salt-water  sand 

Lime-shells 

Pencil  cave 

Salt-water  sand 

Red  rock 

Salt-water  sand 

Slate  and  lime 

Lime  and  water-sand 

Mississippian  lime 


34 
4 

26 

8 

8 

10 

6 

204 

310 

35 

82 

28 

39 

26 

10 

15 

27 

23 

7 

15 

29 

54 

5 

95 

10 

130 

50 

182 

19 


Total  depth. 


34 

38 

64 

72 

80 

90 

96 

300 

610 

645 

727 

755 

794 

820 

830 

845 

872 

895 

902 

917 

946 

1,000 

1,005 

1,100 

1,110 

1,240 

1,290 

1,472 

1,491 

1,491 


(No.  17). 


Location — In  the  S.  W.  i/4  sec 

Elevation — 454  feet. 

Base  of  coal.  No.  6,  71  feet. 


Duquoin  Coal  Company  (Mine  Is^o. 
6,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 


S). 


102 

(No.   18). 


YEAK-BOOK    FOE    1909, 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Illinois  Central  Coal  and  Coke  Co.  (St.  John  Well). 

Location— In  sec.  6,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 

Elevation— 460  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 


Depth— Feet. 


Recent  and  Pleistocene. 

Glacial  drift 

Pennsylvanian. 

Lime  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Shale  and  coal 

Sandy  shale 

Clay  shale 

Sandy  shale 

Sand  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Fire  clay  and  shale 

Shale  with  partings 

Sand  rock,  fresh  water 

Mississippian—  Chester,  Cypress,  and  Ste.  Genevieve 

Lime  rock 

Sand  rock,  15  per  cent  salt 

Sandy  shale 

Sand  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Lime  rock 

Sand  rock '. 

Shale 

Sand  rock 

Lime  rock 

Sand  rock 

Clay  shale 

Sandy  shale 

Mixed  shale 

Lime  rock 

Shale 

Lime  rock 

Clay  shale 

Lime  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Clay  shale 

Sandy  shale 

Lime  rock 

Sand  rock 

Lime  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Sand  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Lime  rock 

Red  marl 

SanS  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Sand  rock 

Soft  hale 

Sand  rock 

Blue  lime 

Sand  rock 

Shale 

Sand  rock 

Shale 

Red  marl 

Shale 

Lime  rock 

Shale 


3 
16 
10 
25 
30 
80 
15 
23 
12 
55 
178 


M2 

45 

61 

71 

96 

126 

206 

221 

244 

256 

311 


520 
535 
563 
578 
610 
618 
643 
656 


679 

709 

744 

779 

795 

815 

840 

855 

860 

875 

915 

982 

1,002 

1,022 

1,032 

1.054 

i;067 

1,087 

1,107 

1,111 

1,150 

1,190 

1,280 

1,290 

1,300 

1,305 

1,310 

1,320 

1,330 

1,344 

1,348 

1,352 

1,368 


iMr.  Jon  A.  Udden  published  thi 
Survey,  p.  254. 


record  with  its  geological  interpretation  in  Bull.  14,  III.  State  Geol. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  103 

Illinois  Central  Coal  and  Coke  Co.  (St.  John  Well). — Concluded. 


Thickness 
Feet. 


Depth— Feet. 


From  To 


Mississippian—Chester,  Cypress  and  Ste.  Genevieve— Concluded 

Sand  rock 

Lime  rock 

Sand  rock : 

Lime  rock 

Shale  with  partings 

Lime  r  oek 

Shale 

Sand  rock 

Shale,  mixed 

Lime  rock 

Sandy  shale 

Lime  rock 

Shale 

St.  Louis,  Salem  and  Warsaw 

Lime  rock,  38  per  cent  salt 

Shale 

Lime  rock,  38  per  cent  salt 

Fu-e  clay  or  shale 

Lime  rock  with  partings 

Shale 

Osage  and  Kinderhook. 

Lime  rock  with  partings 

Sandy-lime  rock 

Light-gray  lime  rock 

Spar,  calcite  crystals 

Devonian. 

Light-gray  lime  rock,  hard 

Light-gray  lime  rock,  soft 

Silurian — Cincinnatian  and  Galena- Trenton 

Mainly  limestone  to  3,600  feet 


92 

3 

250 

20 

57 
10 


102 
160 

as 

4 


498 
227 


1,375 
1,389 
1,399 
1,414 
1,420 
1,440 
1,475 
1,498 
1,518 
1,537 
1,541 
1,549 
1,589 


1,604 
1,696 
1,699 
1,949 
1,969 
2,026 


2,036 

2,148 
2,208 
2,271 


2,275 
2,773 


3,000 


1,389 
1,399 
1,414 
1,420 
1,440 
1,475 
1,498 
1,518 
1,537 
1,541 
1,549 
1,589 
1,604 


1,696 
1,699 
1,949 
1,969 
2,026 
2,036 


2,148 
2,208 
2,271 
2,275 


2,  773 
3,000 


(No.  19). 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  S.  E.  corner  S.  W.  14  S.  E.  14  sec.  17,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 

Elevation— 442  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  48  feet. 


(No.  20), 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location — In  the  S.  W.  corner  N.  W.  ^4  N.  E.  14  sec.  21,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 
Elevation— 423  feet. 
Coal,  No.  6,  252  feet. 


104 

(No.  21). 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


Finley  Oil  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  S.  W.  ^  sec.  15,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 
and  Farming  Company. 
Elevation— 410  feet. 


[BULL.    NO.  Ifi 


Farm  of  Duquoin  Land 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Surface 

35 
12 

5 

168 

25 

67 

13 

100 

5 
65 
68 
37 
10 
120 
10 
70 
70 

3 
49 
73 
30 
20 

2 

28 
46 

9 
16 
76 
56 

2 

3 
36 
.    9 

1 

4 

2 

35 

Sand  and  gravel 

47 

Shale 

52 

Slate 

220 

Lime 

245 

Slate .              .  . 

•     312 

Coal 

325 

Slate 

425 

Sand.., 

430 

Slate 

495 

Sand 

.563 

Slate 

600 

Red  clay  (soft) .                  

610 

Slate 

730 

Sand .                .  .  . 

740 

Slate 

810 

Saltsand 

880 

Slate 

883 

Saltsand 

932 

Mixed  slate  and  sand 

1,005 

Slate 

1,035 

Sand  (salt  water) 

1,055 

Limestone 

1,057 

Sand 

1,085 

Slate 

1,131 

Sand .     .                

1,140 

Limestone  

1,156 

Sand  (salt  water) .                                

1,232 

Slate  (blue  and  black) 

1,288 

Limestone 

1,290 

Black  slate 

1,293 

Limestone 

1,329 

Black  slate 

1.338 

Red  clay 

1,339 

Lime  and  slate      .                  

1,343 

Black  slate  (cave) 

1,345 

Dark  sand  (hole  full  of  salt  water)                                                            

1,345 

Note— Since  this  record  was  plotted  and  studied,  the  following  additional 
mformation  was  secured: 

Salt-water  sand 

110 
5 
5 

1.455 

Blue  shale     

1,460 

Hard  limestone 

1,465 

(No.  22). 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  S.  E.  corner  of  the  S.  W.  i^  sec.  23,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  W. 

Elevation— 388  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  396  feet. 


(No.  23) 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  S.  W.  corner  of  the  S.  W.  V^  N.  W.  Vi  sec.  24,  T.  6  S., 
R.  1  W. 

Elevation — 404    feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  387  feet. 


BLATCHLEvJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  105 

(No.   24). 

Goal  Prospect. 

Location — On  bank  of  stream,  in  the  N.  E.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  2.5,  Elk  town- 
ship  (Franklin  County  Line). 
Elevation— 390  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  293  feet. 

(No.  25). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  sec  16,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  E. 
Elevation — 404  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  531  feet. 

(No.  26). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  sec.  22,  T.  6  S.,  R  1  E. 
Elevation— 478  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  563  feet. 

(No.  27). 

Zeigler  District  Colliery  Company  (North  Mine). 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  14  S.  W.  14  sec.  24,  T.  6  S.,  R.  1  E. 
Elevation — 446  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  517  feet. 

(No.  28). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  corner  of  the  N.  E.  i/4  sec.  19,  T.  6  S.,  R.  2  E. 
Elevation — 401  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  476  feet. 

(No.   29). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location — Four  miles  west  of  Benton  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  in 
the  S.  1/2  N.  E.  1^  sec.  21,  T.  6  S.,  R.  2  E. 
Elevation— 379  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  490  feet. 

(No.  30). 

Benton  Coal  Company  (Benton  Shaft). 

Location— South  of  Benton  in  sec.  19,  T.  6  S.,  R.  3  E. 

Elevation — 477  feet. 

Base   of  coal   No.    6,   618    feet. 

(No.  31). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— Smothersville,  sec.  35,  T.  6  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation— 473  feet. 
Coal  No.  6,  653  feet. 

(No.   32). 

Goal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  ^4  sec.  16,  T.  7  S.,  R.  4  E. 

Elevation — 484  feet. 

Base  of  coal  No.  6,  695  feet. 


106 

(No.  32a), 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909'. 


Goal  Prospect. 


[BULL.   NO.  ifi 


Location— In  the  S.  E.  i/i  sec.  7,  T.  8  S.,  R.  5  E. 

Elevation— 425  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  408  feet. 


(No.  33). 


Goal  Prospect. 


Location — In  the  center  of  the  east  line,  E.  %  sec.  26,  T.  8  S.,  R.  5  E. 

Elevation— 428  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  270  feet. 


(No.  34), 


Wahash  Petroleum  Gompa7iy  (Oil  Prospect  J. i 


Location— On  the  J.  E.  Small  farm,  N.  W.   i/4   N.  W.   i^  sec.  25,  T.  8  S. 
R.  5  E. 

Elevation — (Estimated  from  topographic  map),  410  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 


Depth- 
leet. 


Surface 

Gray  shale 

Coal 

Gray  shale 

Black  limestone 

Black  shale 

Coal 

Black  shale 

White  sandstone  (some  salt  water) . 

Brown  shale 

White  sandstone  (salt  water) 

White  limestone 

Brown  shale 

Coal 

White  ?a  ndstone 

Brown  shale 

Coal 

Fire  clay 

White  limestone 

White  sandstone  (salt  water) 

Gray  limestone 

Black  limestone 

Light-brown  shale 

Black  shale 

Fine  gray  sandstone 

Black  shale 

Dark  sandstone  (coarse) 

Fine  light  sandstone  (salt  water) . . . 

Black  sandstone  (fine) 

Black  shale 


10 
125 

2 
23 

2 
178 

3 

77 
15 
10 
40 
20 
95 

6 
10 
24 

3 

3 
41 
155 

5 

5 

10 

155 

5 
10 
25 
38 

5 

3 


Total . 


10 
135 
137 
160 
162 
340 
343 
420 
435 
445 
485 
505 


616 

640 

643 

646 

687 

842 

847 

852 

862 

1,017 

1,022 

1,032 

1,057 

1,095 

1,100 

1,103 

1,103 


10-inch  casing. 
8^- inch  casing. 


100 
700 


'This  well  was  projected  into  the  section  from  1  mile  north. 


BLATCHLEY 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


107 


(No.  35) 


Wabash  Petroleum  Company  (Oil  ProspectJA 


Location— On  the  .John  Stricklin  farm,  sec.  27,  T.  8  S.,  R.  6  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated  as  in  No.  34),  370  feet. 


Thickness 
Feet. 


'This  well  was  projected  into  the  section  from  the  north. 

(No.   35a). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  i/i  S.  E.  14  sec.  27,  T.  8  S.,  R.  6  E. 

Elevation— 365  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  202  feet. 


(No.  36). 


Oil  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  N.  E.  14  S.  W.  %  sec.  28,  T.  8  S.,  R.  7  E. 
Elevation— (Estimated)  380  feet. 


Depth- 
leet. 


Surfade 

20 

100 

.30 

10 

15 

5 

6 

99 

10 

60 

15 

5 

20 

20 

88 

85 

7 

93 

65 

65 

174 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

10 

20 

Mud  rock 

120 

Black  shale 

150 

Granite  (limestone) 

160 

Black  shale 

175 

Black  limestone 

180 

Coal 

186 

Dark  fossiiiferous  shale    

285 

Black  limestone           

295 

Gray  slate 

355 

Black  shale 

370 

Black  limestone 

375 

Black  slate 

395 

Light  sandstone 

415 

Coal 

422 

Black  shale 

510 

Light  fossiiiferous  shale 

595 

Coal 

602 

Brown  shale 

695 

Soapstone 

760 

Salt  sand  (salt  water) 

825 

Sandstone  and  shale  streaks              .                 

999 

Dark  sandstone 

1,004 

Dark  sandstone  and  shale 

1,009 
1,014 

Dark  sandstone 

Black  shale 

1,019 
1,024 

Fine  dark  sandstone 

Coarse  dark  sandstone 

1  029 

Coarse  light  sandstone       

1.034 

Sand  (hole  full  of  salt  water) 

1  044 

Thickness 
1  eet. 

Depth— 
Peet. 

Coal 

6 

30 
40. 
72 
40 
25 
40  . 

8 
12 
20 
30 

408 

Fire  clay     

438 

Sand        .                           

478 

Black  sliale                                                                                                     

550 

Gray  sand                                                                   

590 

Limestone  

615 

Shale                                                                                         

Coal 

663 

Limestone                                                                                                

675 

White  sand     .   .                  

695 

Shale 

725 

108 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Oil  Prospect — Concluded. 


[BULL.  NO.  16 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Limestone 

5 

10 
20 
10 
30 
30 
25 

5 

3 

20 
10 

2 
25 
80 
28 
10 
125 
43 
50 

5 
118 

5 
39 

5 
21 
38 

5 
22 

3 

22 
86 
47 
38 
59 

4 
45 

730 

Shale      

740 

760 

Gray  sand     

770 

Shale 

800 

Sand                

830 

Shale # 

855 

White  sand              .  . 

860 

Coal  

863 

Fire  clay 

883 

Sand 

893 

Shale 

895 

Sand          

920 

Slate 

1,000 

White  sand 

1  028 

Black  slate  and  coal   

1,'038 
1,163 

Sand  and  water 

Slate      

1,206 

Sandstone 

1,256 

Slate      

1,261 

Sand,  salt  water 

1,379 

Red  sandstone  (Chester?)  . .   . 

1,384 
1,423 

White  sand 

Sand  shale      

I  428 

1,449 

Slate  and  shale 

1  487 

Limestone 

1,492 

Slate 

1,514 
1,517 

Brown  limestone          

Soft  slate 

1,539 

Gray  sand  (heavy  salt  water)        

1,625 

1,672 

Slate  and  limestone  (cave) 

1,710 

Slate     

1,769 

Brown  limestone 

1,773 

Oil  sand  (a  little  water  in  first  screw) 

1,818 

(No.  37). 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location — In  the  center  of  east  line,  B.  V2  sec.  27,  T. 

Elevation — 417  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  6,  280  feet. 

Base  of  coal,  No.  5,  404  feet. 


S.,  R.  7  E. 


STRATIGRAPHY. 

The  C-C  section  illustrates  the  relations  of  drift,  hard  rocks  of  the 
Pennsylvanian  and  Mississippian  series,  and,  in  two  cases,  of  older  geo- 
logical systems  which  are  penetrated. 

The  drift  formations  reach  a  thickness  of  104  feet  in  record  No.  1. 
In  the  remaining  wells  the  drift  varies  in  thickness  between  30  and  45 
feet.     The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  underlie  the  drift. 

The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  (^'Coal  Measures")  exhibit  an  upper  por- 
tion which  contains  coal,  shale,  and  limestone  but  is  relatively  free 
from  massive  sandstone.  Below  this  in  records  Nos.  12  to  21  there  is 
a  sequence  of  heavy  sandstones  of  Pottsville  age.  The  variation  in  its 
dovclopment  here  and  elsewhere  suggests  that  its  deposition  was  limited 
to  a  submerged  area  from  which  a  varying  amount  of  Chester  forma- 
tions had  previously  been  eroded.     The  Pennsylvanian  is  identified  in 


BLATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  109 

record  No.  12.  The  correlation  is  uncertain  in  Xo.  5,  but  probably  the 
upper  Pennsylvanian  terminates  at  about  248  feet  and  is^  consequently, 
about  200  feet  thick.  Eecord  No.  12,  about  9  miles  distant  from  N.  5, 
shows  a  thickness  of  about  550  feet  for  the  beds  above  the  Pottsville.  A 
decrease  in  surface  elevation  and  a  rise  in  the  strata  causes  a  thinning  of 
these  upper  rocks  from  Coulterville  eastward.  The  recorded  thickness 
is  about  250  feet  at  Nos.  IG  and  18.  A  remarkable  dip  occurs  from 
Duquoin  (No.  19)  to.  No.  21  and  permits  higher  rocks  to  be  present. 
The  latter  record  shows  a  thickness  of  at  least  450  and  possibly  750  feet 
for  the  rocks  above  the  Pottsville  sandstones.  Eecords  No.  34  and  35 
show  the  same  formations  to  be  about  700  feet  thick.  This  corresponds 
closely  to  No.  21  3^et  the  intermediate  territory  undoubtedly  contains 
a  much  greater  thickness. 

The  Pottsville  sandstones  and  accompanying  shales  are  doubtfully 
recognized  in  record  No.  5.  In  the  vicinity  of  Sparta,  by  contrast,  the 
total  thickness  of  Pottsville  sands  and  shales  is  120  feet  and  the  aggregate 
thickness  of  sandstone  is  about  90  feet.  Eecord  No.  12  shows  a  notable 
increase  in  thickness  ,altogether  amounting  to  about  320  feet  while  the 
aggregate  thickness  of  sand  is  270  feet.  The  Pottsville  rocks  increase 
to  450  feet  thickness  in  No.  16  and  possibly  maintain  this  to  No.  18.  The 
latter  record  suggests,  however,  that  the  Pottsville  may  be  limited  to  about 
200  feet;  below  which  occur  Chester  rocks  which  are  absent  in  records 
Nos.  12  and  16.  There  are  similar  alternative  interpretations  for  No.  21. 
There  are  no  deep  records  from  No.  22  to  No.  33  while  those  from  No. 
33  to  No.  37  are  of  such  uncertain  nature  as  to  make  the  Pottsville  cor- 
relations doubtful. 

The  Chester  formations  of  the  Mississippian  series  are  correlated  with 
some  uncertainty  from  record  No.  1  to  No.  21.  The  Chester  rocks  are 
passed  through  in  records  No.  1,  16  and  18.  The  total  thickness  in  No.  1 
is  about  400  feet,  in  No.  16  about  750  feet,  and  in  No.  18,  750  to  1,000 
feet  according  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Pottsville.  The  top  of  the 
Chester  formation  is  first  definitely  located  in  well  No.  5  at  304  feet.  This 
corresponds  closely  to  the  depth  found  at  Sparta,  about  10  miles  to  the 
southeast.  The  Chester  top  limestone  is  identiiied  in  No.  5  and  No. 
21  and  the  red  shales  are  conspicuous  in  several  records. 

The  sand  underlying  the  second  Chester  red  shale  in  No.  1,  and  trace- 
able to  the  bottom  bed  of  No.  12,  is  thought  to  be  the  Sparta  sand  of 
Eandolph  County  and  the  Benoist  and  Kirkwood  sands  of  Marion  and 
Lawrence  counties.  The  well  at  Marissa  (No.  5)  produced  a  marked 
show  of  oil  in  the  sand  from  608  to  631  feet.  This  may  possibly  be  the 
Sparta  sand,  though  the  latter  more  probably  lies  150  lower. 

The  older  geologic  systems  are  revealed  in  records  No.  1  and  18,  while 
No.  16  apparently  stopped  near  the  top  of  the  ^'St.  Louis,  Salem,  and 
Warsaw"  formations  or,  to  use  the  vernacular  of  the  oil  operator,  the  ^^big 
lime"  of  the  Mississippian.  The  thorough  interpretation  of  No.  18  by 
Jon  A.  Udden  is  given  in  the  presentation  of  the  log  on  page  102.  The 
so-called  "big  lime"  was  found  at  a  depth  of  724  feet  in  No.  1  and  was 
160  feet  thick.    Below  this  the  record  passes  through  successive  systems 


1 10  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

of  Devonian  and  Silurian  rocks  and  terminates  in  the  St.  Peter  sand- 
stone of  Ordovician  age.  Well  No.  18  is  the  deepest  bore  in  Illinois^ 
though  it  does  not  reacli  the  oldest  rocks  and  fails  to  enter  the  St.  Peter 
sandstone.  As  the  record  reaches  3,600  feet,  the  dip  of  the  St.  Peter 
sand  is  700  feet,  or  more,  in  the  44  miles  from  No.  1. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  structure  along  the  C-C  section  is  illustrated' by  the  "lie"  of  the  No. 
C)  coal  and  is  especially  attractive  for  its  numerous  deformations.  The 
structure  varies  considerably  from  that  of  the  A-A  section  (PI.  7).  This 
is  attributed  to  its  position  along  the  southwestern  and  southern  flanks 
of  the  Illinois  basin.  The  chosen  line  follows  an  angle  such  as  to  present 
a  cross-view  of  the  deformations. 

No'.  6  coal. — The  No.  6  coal  is  present  throughout  tlie  soeti(ui.  The 
coal  dips  mildly  from  No.  2  to  No.  3  and  rises  at  the  rate  of  about  20 
feet  per  mile  to  No.  4.  The  first  notable  deformation  exists  at  Marissa 
between  Nos.  4,  5  and  6.  It  consists  of  a  plateau-like  structure  with  syn- 
clines  on  either  side.  The  dip  into  the  east  syncline  from  No.  6  to  No.  8 
is  28  feet  in  about  1  mile.  The  coal  rises  again  from  No.  8  to  the  second 
deformation  at  Tilden,  6  miles  east  of  Marissa.  The  incline  is  44  feet 
in  about  2  miles  or  about  22  feet  per  mile.  The  coal  dips  again  from 
No.  9  eastward,  first  very  rapidly  and  then  gradually,  forming  a  synclinal 
trough  with  Coulterville  at  its  bottom.  Further  mention  is  made  of  the 
Coulterville  trough  in  the  discussion  of  the  Eandolph  County  area 
(p.  156).  Tlie  dip  from  No.  9  to  No.  12  is  expressed  by  contours  on  the 
Sparta  coal  map  (PI.  17).  The  dip  from  No.  9  to  No.  11  is  103  feet 
in  about  1  mile  and  from  No.  11  to  No.  12,  67  feet  in  about  5  miles.  The 
coal  rises  slowly  from  Coulterville  to  Pinckneyville. 

The  eastward  slope  of  the  Coulterville  "trough"  is  much  gentler  thaa 
its  westward  slope.  The  rise  from  No.  12  to  No.  16  is  148  feet  in  about 
12  miles  or  about  12  feet  per  mile.  From  Pinckneyville  to  Duquoin  a 
plateau-like  structure  succeeds  the  Coulterville  trough.  The  coal  appar- 
ently lies  flat  from  No.  16  to  No.  19.  From  No.  19  there  is  a  remarkable 
dip  of  about  400  feet  eastward  to  No.  22  in  a  distance  of  21/2  miles,  or  at 
the  rate  of  about  160  feet  per  mile.  Jon  A.  Udden  states  that  the  sharp 
eastward  dip  of  the  coal  is  of  much  grenter  rate  north  of  Duquoin.^  It 
has  been  found  that  th^  dip  is  uniform,  though  minor  faulting  exists. 
The  nature  of  the  Duquoin  slope  is  discussed  elsewhere  in  this  report  by 
•T.  E.  Savage.  Another  important  structural  feature  lies  east  of  the  Du- 
quoin anticline. 

A  small  anticline  apparently  exists  in  the  coal  between  3  and  6  miles 
east  of  Duquoin.  This  is  shown  in  the  rise  of  the  coal  between  Nos.  22 
and  24,  amounting  to  105  feet.  The  dip  between  Nos.  24  and  25  is  232 
feet.  The  position  of  this  arch  in  relation  to  the  Duquoin  terrace  is 
similar  to  that  of  the  luka  arch  and  the  Odin  terrace  in  cross-section 


^Udden,  Ton  A.,  Coal  and  oil  studies  at  Duquoin:    Bull.  III.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  14,  pp.  2')8-259. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES.  Ill 

A-A  (PL  7).  A  well-defined  anticline  is  shown  between  No.  24  and  No. 
30.  The  coal  rises  56  feet  from  Xo.  25  to  No.  27  or  about  22  feet  per 
mile.  The  decline  from  Xo.  27  to  No.  30  is  very  gentle,  being  70  feet  in 
about  7  miles  or  only  10  feet  per  mile.  The  section  does  not  reveal  any 
attractive  structural  features  from  No.  27  to  No.  32.  The  coal  of  the 
intermediate  area  slopes  from  the  south  to  the  north  and  if  any  features 
are  present,  they  would  be  shown  in  north  and  south  cross-sections  or 
on  coal  contour  maps.  (See  Pis.  2-i  and  28.)  The  coal  rises  369  feet 
from  No.  32  to  No.  33  in  about  9  miles  or  at  the  rate  of  about  40  feet  per 
mile.  The  section  follows  the  strike  from  No.  33  to  No.  37,  and,  there- 
fore, shows  the  coal  to  be  about  level. 

The  Pottsville  Sands. — The  structure  of  the  Pottsville  sands  very  close- 
ly resembles  that  of  No.  6  coal  between  No.  12  and  21  except  as  influenced 
by  irregularity  of  deposition.  The  rise  from  sea' level  between  No.  12  and 
No.  16  is  160  feet.  The  top  of  the  sand  lies  approximately  flat  from 
No.  16  to  No.  18  and  drops  remarkably  fast  from  No.  18  to  21.  The  dip 
is  250  feet  in  about  31/2  miles  or  at  the  rate  of  70  feet  per  mile. 

The  Chester  Formations. — The  top  limestone  of  the  Chester  formations 
is  first  accurately  identified  at  a  depth  of  301  feet  in  No.  5.  From  No. 
12  eastward  to  No.  16  it  probably  has  been  eroded. 

The  Benoist  or  Kirkwood  sandstone  of  the  A-A  section  (PI.  7)  lies  at 
705  feet  in  No.  1,  and  1,100  feet  in  No.  12.  The  descent  is  395  feet  in 
20  miles  or  about  20  feet  per  mile.  East  of  this  place  the  identity  of  the 
sand  is  doubtful. 

Conclusion. — The  most  promising  structural  features  along  this  sec- 
tion are  enumerated  in  the  following  list,  and  are  described  in  more  detail 
on  page  168 : 

1.  The  Marissa  flat. 

2.  The  Tilden  anticline. 

3.  The  Diiquoin  anticline.  This  is  comparable  to  the  Sandoval-Odin  and 
the  Beaucoup-Ashley  "terrace"  of  the  A — A  and  B — B  sections. 

4.  The  second  Duquoin  deformation  or  arch.  It  is  thought  that  this 
may  be  comparable  to  the  Iiika  arch,  and  hence  may  parallel  the  Sandoval- 
Duquoin  terrace. 

5.  The  flat  south  of  Galatia. 

Cross-sectiox  D-D. 

Cross-section  D-D  was  drawn  from  Marion  in  Williamson  County  to 
Salem  in  Marion  County.  It  crosses  the  southern  slope  of  the  Illinois 
basin  and  shows  the  position  of  the  coal  from  south  to  north.  The  cross- 
section  was  constructed  from  the  following  records  with  numbers  corres- 
ponding to  those  given  on  Plate  10. 

LOGS. 

(No.  1). 

Outcrop  of  the  Coal  on  the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois  Railway. 

Location— In  the  N.  \V.  corner  sec.  7,  T.  9  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation— 480  feet. 


112  YEAR-BOOK    FOE    J  909.  [puLL.  no.  16 

(No.  2).  / 

Spillertoion  Goal  and  Coke  Company  (Mine), 

Location — In  the  center  of  the  west  line  of  sec.  6,  T.  9  S.,  R.  3  B. 

Elevation — 515  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  49  feet. 

(No.  3). 

Carterville  District   Coal  Co.   (Marion  Mine). 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  l^  N.  E.  i^  sec.  36,  T.  8  S.,  R.  2  B. 

Elevation — 465  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  111  feet. 

(No.  5). 

Williamson   County   Coal   Co.   (Mine). 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  corner,  sec.  24,  T.  8  S.,  R.  2  E. 

Elevation— 409  feet. 

Base  of  No.   6  coal,  172  feet. 

(No.  6). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  13,  T.  8  S.,  R.  2  E. 

Elevation— 462  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  337  feet. 

(No.  7). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  E.  1/0  of  sec.  1,  T.  8  S.,  R.  2  E. 

Elevation— 468  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  445  feet. 

(No.  8). 

Bering  Coal   Company  (Mine  No.  11). 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  1/4  S.  W.  V4.  sec.  18,  T.  7  S.,  R.  3  E. 

Elevation— 388  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  493  feet. 

(No.  9). 

Benton  Coal  Company. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  i^  S.  W.  %  sec.  19,  T.  6  S.,  R.  3  E. 

Elevation — 477  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  618  feet. 

(No.  10). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  S.  E.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  20,  T.  5  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation — 450  feet   (estimated). 
Base  of  No.  6  coal.  669  feet. 

(No.  11). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  corner  N.  W.  Va.  S.  E.  14  sec.  7,  T.  5  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation — 420  feet   (estimated). 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  661  feet. 


blatchleyJ 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


113 


(No.  12), 


Coal  Prospect. 


Location— In  the  N.  W.  corner  N.  W.  %  N.  E.  ^4.  sec.  6,  T.  5  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation — 410  feet  (estimated). 
Top  of  No.  6  coal,  685  feet. 


(No.  13), 


Mt.  Vernon  Coal  Prospect. 


Location— Near  Mt.  Vernon  in  T.  2   S.,  R.   3  E. 
Elevation — 490  feet   (estimated). 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  851  feet. 


(No.  14), 


Oil  Prospect  near  Dix,  Jefferson  County. 


Location — On  the  Wm.  Myers  farm,  in  sec.  8,  T.  1  S.,  R.  3  E. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   530  feet. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Drift       

80 

10 

198 

20 

560 

145 

6 
144 

5 
23 

5 
57 

6 

8 
10 

2 

10 

109 

25 

276 

23 

6 

7 
51 
87 
10 
20 
20 
48 
55 
10 
63 

4 

4 

56 
15 
19 

2 
11 
13 
10 

80 

Lime  shell 

90 

Shale     

288 

308 

Salt  water  sand 

565 

Shale  

710 

Coal 

716 

Shale  

860 

Coal 

865 

Shale      '. 

888 

Coal 

893 

Shale      

950 

Coal      

956 

Fire  clay 

964 

Sand          .           .    .. 

974 

Lime  shell 

976 

Sharp  white  sand  (dry)  

986 

Shale  

1,095 

Salt  water  and  sand            

1,120 

-1,396 

Salt  water 

1,419 

Shale      

1,425 

Hard  lime  shell 

1,432 

Salt  water  and  sand            

1,483 

Blue  shale 

1,570 

Lime  shell      

1,580 

Shale    

1,600 

Dry  sand        ....                .      . 

1,620 

Shale  

1,668 

Sand 

1,723 

Mud  vein 

1,733 

Shale 

1,796 

Mud  vein    .  . 

1,800 

Shell     

1,804 

Shale  and  shells , 

1,860 

Red  rock        

1,875 

Pencil  cave-blue 

1,894 

Sand        

1,896 

Cave    

1,907 

Slate 

1,920 

Salt  water  and  sand        

1,930 

Total    

1,930 

-8  G 


114  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

(No.  15).  / 

Salem  Shaft. 

Location— Town  of  Salem,  sec.  11,  T.  2  N.,  R.  2  E. 

Elevation— 535  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  892  feet  and  9  inches. 

For  record,  see  p.  77. 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

The  stratigraphy  of  the  D-D  section  is  exhibited  by  only  one  record, 
that  at  Dix  (No.  14).  The  drift  is  80  feet  thick.  The  upper  portion 
of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  are  1,015  feet  thick  and  the  lower  portion  or 
Pottsville  sandstones  are  about  330  feet  thick.  The  top  limestone  of  the 
Chester  formations  lies  at  a  depth  of  1,428  feet.  The  total  thickness  of 
Chester  formations  penetrated,  measures  502  feet.  The  Chester  red 
shale  occurs  at  1,860  feet  and  a  sand  at  1,920  feet,  immediately  below  the 
Chester  red  shale,  seems  to  correspond  to  the  Benoist  sand  of  Marion 
County.  The  Pottsville  and  lower  sands  were  reported  to  be  saturated 
with  salt  water  in  No.  14.  Their  water  content  is  good  evidence  that 
drilling  for  oil  is  an  unprofitable  venture  within  the  deeper  portion  of 
the  basin  unless  tliere  are  local  folds  or  structural  terraces. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  D-D  cross-section  shows  in  a  striking  manner  the  structure  of  the 
No.  6  coal.  The  dip  in  the  coal  from  the  outcrop  to  West  Frankfort 
(No.  8),  is  585  feet  or  53  feet  to  the  mile.  Between  Nos.  8  and  9  the 
coal  dips  only  36  feet  in  6  miles  or  6  feet  per  mile.  The  dip  from  No. 
8  to  No.  11  is  136  feet  inl3niilcs  or  about  10  feet  to  the  mile.  The  coal 
slopes  gently  from  No.  12  to  No.  14,  but  a  slight  ^'bench'^  occurs  in  sec- 
tions 18  and  7,  T.  5  E.,  E.  3  E.,  about  4  miles  west  of  Ewing.  The 
coal  dips  rapidly  from  well  No.  11  to  No.  12  and  from  thence  continues 
with  even  trend  downward  to  the  extremity  of  the  section. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  most  promising  structural  features  along  this  section  are  enumer- 
ated in  the  following  list,  and  are  described  in  more  detail  on  page  170 : 

1.  A  slight  flattening  of  the  coal  between  wells  5  and  6  is  shown  on  the 
detailed  contour  map  of  the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle,  (PI.  24),  but  is  not 
shown  on  the  cross-section. 

2.  A  "terrace"  occurs  between  wells  8  and  9,  south  of  Benton. 

3.  A  slight  "bench"  at  well  No.  11.  This  would  be  geographically  about 
four  miles  west  of  Ewing. 

Cross-section  E-E. 

The  E-E  cross-section  is  the  most  northern  one  of  the  five  general  sec- 
tions and  is  plotted  along  a  line  drawn  from  Beardstown  in  Cass  County 
to  the  State  line  near  Danville  in  Vermilion  County.  The  section  reveals 
the  relations  of  the  lower  rocks  on  the  western  side  of  the  State;  of  the 


BLATC'HLEY] 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


115 


No.  5  and  No.  6  coals  through  the  northern  portion  of  the  Illinois  hasin; 
and  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  Data  are  not  abundant  nor  definite  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  anticline  east  of  Cerro  Gordo,  and  the  correlations,  like 
those  of  th  A- A  section  (PI.  7),  l^etween  Salem  and  the  La  Salle  anti- 
cline mav  be  questioned.  The  section  is  made  ut»  of  the  following  records 
with  numbers  corresponding  to  those  on  plate  11. 


(No.  1). 


LOGS. 


Beardstmun  Well. 


Location — Beardstown,  Cass  County. 

Elevation— (Estimated)    440  feet. 

This  record  was  published  by  Worthen  in  Vol.  VIII.  Geological  Survey 
of  Illinois.  Concerning  it  he  says  in  part,  'The  well  recently  sunk  at  Beards- 
town  to  a  depth  of  1,070  feet  obtained  a  flow  of  artesian  mineral  water 
amounting  to  about  800  barrels  per  day.  Both  oil  and  gas  were  found  here: 
the  quantity  of  oil  is  only  about  half*  a  gallon  per  day.  The  principal  flow 
of  gas  appeared  to  come  from  the  Trenton  limestone.  The  first  flow  of  oil 
was  found  in  the  Devonian  rocks,  but  was  thought  to  increase  in  quantity 
when  the  drill  penetrated  the  Trenton   limestone." 


Drift,  clay,  sand  and  gravel 

Limestone  (Lower  Carboniferous) 

Kinderhook  and  Hamilton  shales 

Porous  Magnesian  limestone  (Niagara) . 

Shales  and  slate  (Cincinnati  group) 

Trenton  limestone 

St.  Peter  sandstone 


Thickness 

Depth- 

—Feet. 

Feet. 

90    1 

90 

145     i 

235 

2.50     ! 

485 

70 

5.55 

125 

6S0 

375 

1,055 

15 

1,070 

(No.  2). 


Virginia    Coal   Prospect. 


Location — Virginia,  Cass  County. 
Elevation — (Estimated)  620  feet. 


Thickness — 


Depth- 


Feet.     Inches.     Feet.     Inches. 


Soil  and  brown  clay   

7 

Yellow  clay 

2 

Blue  clay    

.   ...                   ..         29 

Hardpan 

28 

Forest  bed  (ancient  soil) 

3 

Hardpan 

44 

Sandstone 

71 

Hard  limestone    

1 

Black  shale 

2 

Clav  shale 

.10 

Coal  No.  2 

Fire  clav .* 

3 

3 

Black  shale 

Clav  shale  

7 

Potter's  clay 

13 

Coal 

Sandstone  and  shale 

i           fi 

Coal 1 

» Worthen,  A.  H.,  Geol.  Survey  of  111.,  vol.  VII,  p. 


67 

70 

115 

186 


234 


190 

6 

200 

9 

204 

3 

207 

3 

207 

6 

21o 

228 

228 

2 

234 

on  A 

3 

116 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Virginia  Coal  Prospect — Concluded. 


BULL.    NO.  16 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Inches. 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Sandstone 

6 

9 
8 
4 
3 
9 
2 
9 

5"' 

h" 

6 

10 

1 

8 
4 

3" 

6" 

3 

1 
4 
8 
6 
9 
1 
7 
1 
2 
2 
7 

241 
241 
258 
258 
261 
261 
265 
269 
276 
278 
281 
284 
287 
296 
298 
360 
368 
369 
371 
373 
391 
398 
403 
407 
408 
411 
412 
428 
429 
432 
436 
442 
445 
449 

3 

Coal ... 

11 

Sandstone  and  shale 

16 

3 

Coal 

6 

Sandstone 

2 

3 

Coal 

Sandstone  and  shale 

3 

4 
7 
2 
2 
3 
2 
9 
1 

62 
8 
1 
2 
2 

18 
6 
5 
4 

2 

Clay  shale 

2 

Sandstone 

7 

Hard  silicious  rock 

8 

day  shalfi  

2 

Hard  silicious  rock 

8 

Hard  green  shale 

6 

Limestone 

Sandstone 

3 

Limestone    

7 

Sandstone 

7 

Gray  limestone ..  . 

7 

Sandstone 

7 

Limestone    

10 

Sandstone 

10 

Drab  clay  shale 

4 

Sandy  shale 

Shaly  limestone 

8 

Quartz  band 

Shaly  limestone 

3 

8 

Clay  shale  

2 

Shaly  limestone 

16 

11 

Yellow  flint  band          

Clay  shale 

3 

4 
6 
2 
4 

7 

Hard  gray  limestone       .             .                                               

8 

10 

Shale  with  bryozoans 

Shaly  limestone      

7 

(No.  3). 

International  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (Oil  ProspectJA 

(Waverly  Well). 

Location^In  the  N.  E.  i/4  sec.  2,  T.  13  N.,  R.  8  W. 
Elevation— (Estimated)    690  feet. 

1 


Thickness 

Depth- 

—Feet. 

Feet. 

3 

3 

23 

26 

14 

40 

15 

55 

5 

60 

14 

74 

21 

95 

8 

103 

37 

140 

15 

155 

15 

170 

5 

175 

5 

180 

4 

184 

4 

188 

24 

212 

4 

216 

2 

218 

Soil  and  clay 

Yellow  clay 

Soft  gray  shale 

Hard  gray  shale 

Black  shale  (little  water) .* 

Gray  slate  (very  sticky,  thin  lime  shell  at  74  feet) 

Limey  gray  shale 

Hard  gray  sand 

Sandy  shale 

Soft,  shaly  sand  (water  at  142  feet)  

Tough,  dark  shale 

Green  and  red  shale 

Shelly,  gray  shale 

Greenish  shale,  shelly  streaks 

Hard,  gray  limestone 

Soft,  shaly  sand,  show  of  mica 

Soft  limestone 

Soft,  gray  shale 


»This  well  was  projected  from  the  south  15  miles  and  shows  the  position  of  the  lower  formations  in  re- 
lation to  the  wells  east  and  west  of  it. 


BLATCHLEYj  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  117 

Intel-national   Oil  and  Gas  Company  (Oil  Prospect) — Concluded. 


Thickness 

Depth- 
Feet. 

—Feet. 

3 

221 

2 

223 

2 

226 

14 

240 

80 

320 

4 

324 

23 

347 

8 

355 

1 

356 

34 

390 

5 

395 

5 

400 

12 

412 

2 

414 

146 

560 

5 

565 

5 

570 

90 

660 

25 

685 

75 

760 

20 

780 

30 

810 

70 

880 

32 

912 

53 

965 

Hard  limestone 

Coal 

Soft,  gray  shale 

Sandstone  with  shale  bands  and  limestone  streaks 

Greenish  shale 

Black  slate 

Sand  (gas) 

Soft,  brown  shale 

Coal 

Soft,  gray  shale 

Hard,  gray  limestone 

Shale  and  coal 

Soft,  white  shale 

Show  of  coal 

Soft,  dark  shale 

Shale  and  coal 

Hard,  gray  limestone 

Very  soft,  sandy  limestone 

Hard  limestone 

Dark  shale 

Muddy,  cavy  shale 

Hard,  sandy  limestone,  g  ood  show  of  oil,  best  at  800  feet 

Hard,  gray,  sandy  limestone,  salt  water  at  875 

Hard  and  soft,  blue  limestone 

Hard,  sandy  limestone  with  light-green  streaks  of  gray  limestone,  good  show 
of  oil 


(No.  4). 


Springfield  Well   (Diamond  Drill). 


Location — Southwest  of  Springfield,  in  sec.  o,  T.  15  S.,  R.  .5  W. 
Elevation — 575  feet. 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Inches . 

Feet,   [inches. 

i 

Cla  y  and  gravel          

34 
1 
4 
5 
5 
15 
19 

h" 

e" 

34 

35 

39 

44 

50 

65 

84 

112 

126 

129 

129 

138 

148 

150 

153 

159 

169 

174 

175 

179 

208 

212 

213 

219 

226 

232 

233 

Coal 

6 

Clay  shale 

6 

Sand  shale 

6 

Sand  stone 

Sand  shale 

Blue  shale 

Blue  sand-shale 

28     ' 

Blue  shale 

14 
3 

6 
3 
3 

6*" 

h" 

7 
5 

6" 

3 
3 
4 

8 

h" 

Black  shale 

6 

Coal 

9 

Light  shale 

8 
10 
2 
3 
6 
9 
5 

Clay  shale 

Limestone 

Lime  shale 

6 

Black  shale 

6 

Limestone    

Cla  y  shale 

■J 

^oal(No.  6) 

Blue  shale 

4 
29 

4 

Lime  shale 

6 

Black  shale 

9 

Limestone 

<^Coal  (No.  5) 

6 
6 
6 

1 

4 

Clay  shale 

Dark  shale 

Black  shale 

8 

*This  record  was  studied  and  the  formations  were  interpreted  by  T.  E.  Savage  in  his  detailed  work 
on  the  Springfield  quadrangle.    His  report  upon  this  area  ^^  ill  be  issued  later. 


118 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Springfield  Well  (Diamond  Drill) — Continued. 


! 

Thickness- 

Depth- 

1 

Feet. 

Inches, 

Feet. 

Inches. 

]/  Coal  

8 
8 

8" 

8 
8 

e" 

4 
3 
5 

6" 

6 

h" 

11 

10 

2" 

4 
6 

h" 

6 
4" 

■  "io" 

10 

4  ' 

2 

"■'io'" 

8 

6" 

6 

234 
239 
265 
275 
278 
300 
331 
333 
334 
335 
336 
342 
347 
362 
363 
363 
366 
368 
374 
378 
390 
399 
407 
408 
413 
414 
418 
419 
427 
437 
439 
451 
452 
459 
460 
462 
463 
466 
468 
470 
474 
476 
480 
484 
529 
544 
545 
546 
553 
554 
555 
580 
593 
594 
621 
625 
627 
650 
656 
661 
662 
672 
681 
697 
710 
712 
723 
734 
828 
842 
850 
861 
894 
897 
913 

4 

Brown  shale 

4 

26 

10 

2 

21 

31 

2 

1 

1 

1 

5 

15 

1 

Brown  shale 

Blue  shale 

(^ 

V  Coal  . . . 

4 

Dark  shale       

Blue  shale 

Black  shale 

^  Coal 

6 

Clay  shale 

g 

Lime  shale 

6 

Clay  shale 

Lime  shale 

Bluish-gray  shale 

Black  shale    

4 

Coal     . 

' 

Blue  shale 

2 
2 
6 
3 
12 
9 
8 
1 
5 
1 
3 

Sandstone 

Sand  shale            

9 

Blue  shale 

Sandstone  

Sandstone  with  shale  bands  

Dark  shale        

Clay  shale 

Brown  shale  with  hard  bands 

Coal 

3 

Brown  and  black  shale 

2 

Coal 

Blue  shale 

8 
10 

2 
12 

1 
6 
1 
2 

1 

I 

2 
4 
1 
4 
4 
45 
15 
1 
1 
7 
1 

Black  shale • 

Clay  shale 

Dark  shale        

2 

Coal 

6 

Brown  shale      .                   .  . 

Coal 

Black  shale    .  . . 

Drab  shale 

Lime  shale 

Dark  shale       

Lime  shale 

Brown  shale      

6 

Coal 

Light  shale  . 

Dark  shale 

Black  shale  . 

Sand  shale 

4 

Light-blue  shale 

4 

Dark-blue  shale 

4 

Light  clay  shale 

4 

Black  shale : 

4 

Coal 

2 

Black  shale 

24 
13 

1 
27 
4 
2 
23 
6 
4 

Coarse  sandstone '. 

Sandstone                                                              .                 

Black  shale 

Light  shale  ...                                             

Black  shale - 

4 

Conglomerate                                               . 

6 

Dark  shale 

6 

Conglomerate                                         

4 

Coarse  sandstone 

10 

9 
16 
12 

2 
11 
11 
94 
14 

8 
11 
33 

3 
16 

Sandstone                                                                          

6 

Broken  limestone                                                    

Broken  limestone                                                 

Sandy  limestone                                                        -  -  - 

Limestone                                                                           

Sandy  limestone       .                           

Sandy  limestone 

BLATCHLEY)  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

Springfield  Well  (Diamond  Drill) — Concluded. 


119 


Thickness- 


Feet.     Inches. 


Depth- 


Feet.     Inches. 


1 
14      

5               6 

3     1          4 
2               2 

,27 

932 

935 

938 

942 

943 

955 

961 

964 

965 

972 

984 

998 

1,005 

1,056 

1,063 

1,077 

1,081 

1,101 

1,110 

1,122 

1,125 

1,175 

1,200 

1.248 

1,339 

1,450 

1,460 

1,472 

1,500 

Blue  shale , 

6 

Sand  shale 

10 

Blue  shale      

Dark  shale 

.    ... 

Gray  shale ! 

12  :::::::: 

6         

Blue  shale       .                                                                .  . 

3      

1      

7      

12      

14 

7      

51      

7      

14      

4      

Sandstone 

Sand  shale 

Sandy  shale 

Blue  shale    

Blue  shale 

Limestone 

Blue  shale 

Blue  shale  with  limestone  bands 

Hard  lime.stone  with  bands  of  blue  flint 

Hard  limestone    '  . . 

20      

9      

12      

3      

50      

25      

48      

91      

Ill      

10      

12      

28      

Limestone 

Broken  limestone      .   .   . 

Hard  and  broken  limestone 

Limestone 

Limestone  with  chert  bands  

Limestone 

Black  shale .-. . 

Dark  shale . .     . 

Black  shale 

Limestone 

(No.   5), 


Mechanicsburg   Coal  Company   (Mechanicsburg   Mine). 


Location— In  the  N.  Vo  sec.  26,  T.  16  N.,  R.  3  W. 

Elevation — 575  feet. 

Base  of  Coal  No.  6,  277  feet. 

Base  of  Coal  No.  5  ,305  feet. 


(No.  6), 


Decatur  Coal  Company  fXiantic  Mine). 


Location— In  the  S.  W.  14  N.  W.  14  sec.  12,  T.  16  N..  R.  1  W. 

Elevation — 585  feet. 

Base  of  No.  5  coal,  365  feet. 


(No.  7). 


Macon   County  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (Oil  Prospect). 


Location — On  the  John  M.  Hill  farm  near  Macon,  T.  15  N.,  R.  2  E. 
Elevation— (Estimated    from   R.   R.)    727    feet. 


Thickness      Depth- 
— Feet.  Feet. 


Drift,  sand  and  gravel 

White  shale 

Blue  shale 

Limestone 

White  shale 

Blue  shale 

Black  shale 

White  shale 


60 

16<J 

50 

210 

45 

255 

5 

260 

40 

300 

30 

?30 

12 

342 

20 

362 

120  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Macon  County  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (Oil  Prospect) — Concluded. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Limestone : 

18 
40 
30 
15 
20 
30 
40 
15 
20 
15 

5 

4 

6 
30 

I 

1 

30 
15 
20 
48 
80 
80 

3 

6 
61 

4 
56 
45 
10 

8 
10 
27 

2 
13 

6 
12 

2 

5 

18 
15 

5 
10 

5 
12 

5 

6 

380 

Sandy  brown  shale                

420 

White  shale 

450 

Blue  shale  ...                    

465 

Limestone 

485 

White  shale                                             

515 

Blue  shale 

555 

Black  shale                                          ... 

570 

Blue  shale 

590 

White  shale 

605 

Limestone .   . .            

610 

White  shale 

614 

Limestone                            

620 

White  shale 

650 

Limestone                                

652 

Coal 

656 

Slate 

657 

White  shale 

687 

Black  shale                           

702 

Blue  shale 

722 

White  shale                                                   . ,     . 

770 

Brown  shale .              

850 

Blue  shale 

930 

Limestone                                      . .  .  . 

933 

Blue  shale 

939 

Black  shale 

1,000 
1,004 

Limestone 

Black  shale . .  . .             

1  060 

Gray  sandstone  and  salt  water 

1,105 

Blue  shale         .              '. 

1  115 

1,123 

Blue  shale                                     

1  133 

1,160 

Limestone                                                 .        

1  162 

l'l75 

Blue  shale 

1,181 

Red  shale         .         

1,193 

Limestone                                   . 

1  195 

Red  shale         .             .              

1,200 

1,218 

Limestone                                  

1  233 

1,238 

Red  shale                                                 . 

1,248 

Blue  shale 

1,253 

Sandstone                                                       .           

1  265 

Red  shale         

1,270 

Blue  shale 

1,276 

Casing  (8^  inch) 

800 

Casing  (6*  inch)                  .  .       .          

1,218 



(No.  8). 


Manufacturers  and  Consumers  Coal  Company  (Mine). 


Location— In  the  W.  1/2  S.  W. 
Elevation— 640  feet. 
Base  of  No.  6  coal,  491  feet. 
Base  of  No.  5  coal,  560  feet. 


14  sec.  14,  T.  16  N.,  R.  2  E. 


BLATCHLEY] 

(No.    9). 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


J.  L.  Apple  Oil  ProspectA 


121 


Location — In  section  3,  T,  17  N.,  R.  4  E.,  on  Sangamon  River. 
Elevation — (Estimated)   680  feet.     (Eighteen  feet  above  river), 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth— Feet. 
From.           To. 

Clav  and  gravel  .          .                             

25 
15 
20 
10 
20 
15 
25 

8 
10 

5 
17 
23 
10 

1 
24 
25 
40 
20 
40 
20 
30 
50 
40 
30 
20 
10 
10 
50 
15 

2 
53 
50 
50 
40 
30 
20 
20 
40 
30 
55 
25 
20 
30 
40 
70 
20 
35 

5 
10 
55 
15 
50 

1 

25 

•  40 

60 

70 

90 

105 

130 

137 

145 

155 

160 

177 

200 

210 

211 

235 

260 

300 

320 

360 

380 

410 

460 

500 

530 

550 

560 

570 

620 

635 

637 

690 

740 

790 

830 

860 

880 

900 

940 

970 

1,025 

1,050 

1,070 

1,100 

1,140 

1,210 

1,230 

1,265 

1,270 

1,280 

1,335 

1,350 

25 

Sand 

40 

Cement  gravel     .          .       .       .                      

60 

Quick  sand 

70 

Cement  gravel .              

90 

Quick  sand 

105 

Cement  gravel                     .                             .             .  .                       

130 

Quick  sand 

137 

Clay  gravel  . .                                     .                                                      .   . 

145 

Quick  sand 

155 

Water  gravel 

160 

White  lime  (?) 

177 

White  mud 

200 

Black  shale 

210 

Coal 

211 

Brown  shale 

235 

Black  shale 

260 

White  shale 

300 

Black  shale 

320 

Gritty  shale  .                   

360 

White  shale 

380 

Gritty  shale 

410 

Black  shale 

460 

Gritty  shale 

500 

Black  shale 

530 

White  shale 

550 

Black  shale 

560 

Brown  limestone               .  ^ 

570 

White  shale 

620 

BlacK:  shale. 

635 

Coal 

637 

White  shale.. 

690 

Brown  shale 

740 

Black  shale 

790 

Brown  shale 

830 

Black  shale 

860 

White  shale 

880 

BrowTi  limestone 

900 

Black  shale 

940 

Brown  shale 

970 

Sandy  shale  . .  . 

1,025 

Black  shale 

1,050 

Black  slate 

1,070 

Brown  shale 

1,100 

BrowTi  limestone 

1,140 

Red  shale 

1,210 

Gritty  slate . 

1,230 

Red  rock 

1,265 

Gritty  slate 

1,270 

White  limestone 

1,280 
1,335 

Sand  and  salt  water 

White  limestone . 

1,350 
1,400 

Brown  limestone . .     . 

»This  well  was  projected  from  5  miles  north  and  shows  the  position  of  the  Chester  formation. 


122 

(No.  10). 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


Goal  Prospect. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Location — One  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Ivesdale,   Champaign  County, 
T.  17  N.,  R.  7  E. 

Elevation— (Estimated)   750  feet. 


Thickness- 

Depth- 

Feet.     Inches, 

Feet. 

Inches. 

Drift 

153 
12 

""q" 
6 

6  " 

6 

2 

l\ 

4 
5 

'""e"' 

6 
10 

1 
1 

""3"' 

9 
....... 

2 

6 

10 

4 
8 

""2" 
5 
5 

""q" 
6 
6 
8 
3 

3 
6 

4" 

153 
165 
166 
173 
176 
179 
184 
185 
229 
229 
232 
259 
261 
275 
275 
280 
282 
284 
286 
294 
315 
316 
338 
339 
349 
350 
360 
387 
388 
446 
447 
447 
458 
461 
461 
475 
478 
486 
489 
489 
503 
508 
514 
514 
515 
516 
527 
545 
566 
573 
574 
580 
582 

• 

Blue  shale 

6 

Sandstone 

Sandy  shale 

7 
3 

I 

Sandstone 

Blue  shale 

Sandstone 

Q 

Shale : 

Sandstone 

44 

2 

Coal 

Qi 

Blue  shale 

2 
27 

2 
13 

Shale 

Coal ■         ■              

8 
3 

Shale 

Limestone 

Shale 

4 
2 
2 
2 
8 
21 

Conglomerate 

Shaly  limestone 

Clay  shale 

Shaly  limestone .... 

Limestone ; 

6 

Coal 

Shale 

22 

1 
9 
1 

10 
27 

10 

Coal 

11 

Clay  shale 

Conglomerate 

Sandstone  (limestone  bands)                  .  .     . . 

Blue  shale 

3 

Limestone 

Shale 

58 
1 

Coal 

6 

Boneooal... 

g 

Coal 

10 
2 

2 

Shale 

Coal 

Shale 

13 
3 

8 
3 

Shale  (limestone  bands) 

Limestone ... 

Black  shale  . . . 

2 

Coal 

Shale 

13 
5 
6 

Shaly  limestone . .   . 

Shale 

Limestone 

6 

Shale 

1 

10 

18 

20 

7 

1 

6 

2 

26 

2 

4 

72 

2 

6 

Limestone 

6 

Shale 

Sandstone 

6 

Sandv  shale 

Shale 

8 

Coal 

11 

Shale 

11 

Limestone 

11 

Shale 

608    1          11 

Limestone  (shaly) .*     

610 
614 
686 
689 
689 
693 
710 
740 
741 
745 
746 
750 

11 

Limestone  . 

11 

Shale 

11 

Coal 

2 

Shale 

5 

Sandstone 

4 
17 
30 

1 
4 
1 
3 

11 

Shale 

11 

Sandstone 

11 

Shale .             .               

11 

Gray  rock 

11 

Shale..., 

11 

Limestone 

3 

BLATCHLEYj 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 
Goal  Prospect — Concluded. 


128 


Thickness. 

Depth- 

Feet.     Inches. 

Feet,   'inches. 

Black  shale         

1 

10 
4 

6" 

5" 

6 
1 

752     !              1 

752 
756 
767 

785 
828 
829 

848 

5 

Coal                                                                     

4 
11 

18 

42 

1 

19 

5 

Shale 

11 

Sandstone                                                             

11 

Shale 

4 

Coal                                                                           

10 

Shale 

11 

(No.  11), 


Tolono  Oil  Prospect.^ 


Location— Near  Tolono,  T.  17  N.,  R.  8  E. 
Elevation— (Estimated)  730  feet. 

Tolono  well  records— Fred  Cross— No.  1. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth 
Feel. 


Soil  and  gravel 

60 
35 
15 
28 
12 
18 
52 
30 
35 
11 

9 
85 
47 
23 

5 
22 

6 

5 
17 
40 
10 

8 
10 
17 
120 

5 
37 

6 

57 

14 

111 

3 

9 
18 
10 
23 
14 
22 

5 
20 

5 
20 
20 
70 

60 

Gravel,  sand  and  water                                   .                 

95 

Gravel,  sand  and  water 

110 

Railroad  sand ...        

138 

Sand  and  coal  (wash  coal) 

150 

Red  fire  clay 

168 

Gravel  and  clay ,             

220 

Light  shale 

250 

Brown  shale,  little  coal .     .       .                        

285 

Light  shale    1  rvi    / 

296 

Oilsand..../^'^   \..   .       .                                                                          

305 

Gritty  shale  and  sand 

390 

Lime  shells \                              /                                                 ... 

437 

Brown  shale  and  oil  sand  /  0"  sand  23  feet  | 

460 

Light  shale 

465 

Brown  shale , 

487 

Dark  shale  .   . 

493 

Light  shale ...        .                                              '              

498 

Dark  shale..  1^.,         ,       ,       f 

515 

White  shale.  /  Oil  sand  25  feet  ( 

555 

Brown  lime 

565 

Flinty  lime .                                                                          

573 

White  lime 

583 

Sand  "Big  Water' ' 

600 

Sharp  sand  water 

720 

Sandy  shale   . 

725 

Water  sand 

762 

Sand,  showing  of  oil 

768 

Sand 

825 

Brown  lime 

839 

Sharp  sand .                                  

■  950 

Flint  and  particles  of  iron 

953 

Gravel 

962 

Sand   . 

980 

Lime 

990 

Sand 

1,013 

Lime 

1,027 

Water  sand .   .                                                    

1,049 

Brown  sand,  showing  oil 

1,054 

Sand  and  shale 

1,074 

Sand  and  oil ■ 

1,079 

Sand  and  shale 

1,099 

Brown  sand 

1,119 

Water  limestone ....                                                                                             

1,189 

Bain,  H.  Foster,  Petroleum  in  Illinois:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  p.  312. 


124 

(*No.  12). 


YEAR-BOOK    FOB    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Location — In  the  N.  W.  i/4  sec.  4 
Elevation^- (Estimated)   750  feet. 


Hildreth  Oil  ProspectA 

T.  16  N.,  R.  13  W.,  Edgar  County. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Black  soil 

Yellow  clay 

White  clay 

Gravel 

White  clay 

Hardpan  and  gravel 

Gravel 

Blue  clay 

Gravel 

Red  slate 

Light  slate 

Dark  slate 

Hard  limestone 

Coal 

Light  shale 

Hard  limestone 

Coal 

Dark  slate 

Coal 

Hard  limestone 

Dark  shale 

Slate 

Dark  shale 

Hard  limestone 

Sand  (salt  water) . . . 


Records  No.  12  and  No.  13  were  collected  by  E.  F.  Burchard  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 


(No.   13), 


Dr.  Holten   Oil  Prospect. 


Location — Near  Sidell,  Vermilion  County, 
sec.  26,  T.  17  N.,  R.  13  W. 

Elevation — (Estimated)    650  feet. 


in  the  N.   W.   corner  S.  W. 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Black  dirt 

Yellow  clay 

Sand  and  gravel 

Light  clay 

Red  shale 

Light  shale 

Limestone  and  shale  . . 

Brown  shale 

Coal 

Shale 

Coal 

Brown  shale 

Very  hard  lime  rock. . . 

Sand 

Sand  (salt  water) 

Slate 

Hard  limestone 

Sand  (salt  water  at  780) 
Lime  and  slate  (mixed) 

Slate 

Slate  and  lime  mixed. . 

Limestone 

Sand  (salt  water) 


3 
13 
55 
165 
195 
330 
340 


455 

462 

585 

630 

712 

725 

730 

750 

820 

845 

925 

1,040 

1,235 

1,303 


BLATCHLEVJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  125 

(No.  14). 

Goal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  E.  i^  S.  E.  ^4  sec.  20,  T.  17  N.,  R.  12  W. 

Elevation— 635  feet. 

Base  of  No.  7  coal,  185  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  277  feet. 

(No.  15). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  S.  W.  14  N.  E.  14  sec.  16,  T.  17  N.,  R.  12  W. 

Elevation— 656  feet. 

Base  of  Coal  No.  7,  172  feet. 

Base  of  Coal  No.  6,  268  feet. 

(No.  16). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  E.  1/2  S.  E.  14  sec.  16,  T.  17  N.,  R.  11  W. 

Elevation— 663  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  130  feet. 

(No.  17). 

Coal  Prospect. 

Location— In  the  N.  W.  ^4  N.  W.  14  sec.  14,  T.  17  N.,  R.  11  W. 

Elevation— 650  feet. 

Base  of  No.  6  coal,  70  feet. 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

The  E-E  cross-section  presents  a  stratigraphical  study  of  drift  forma- 
tions, of  the  Pensylvanian  rocks,  and  more  particularly,  of  the  lower  and 
older  geologic  systems.  It  is  valuable  as  showing  the  usual  absence, 
toward  the  northern  limits  of  the  basin,  of  the  important  oil  sands  shown 
in  the  previous  sections.  No  structural  irregularities  are  shown  except 
the  extensive  La  Salle  anticline.  Finally  the  section  differs  from  the 
others  in  that  the  elevations  of  all  the  wells,  except  No.  1,  lie  high  above 
the  500-foot  line. 

The  drift  formation  varies  considerably  in  thickness.  It  increases 
from  90  feet  in  No.  1  to  115  feet  in  No.  2;  then  decreases  to  71  feet  in 
No.  3,  and  to  34  feet  in  No.  4.  Nos.  7,  9  and  10  show  160  feet  of  drift, 
while  No.  11  shows  138  feet.  Eecord  No.  12  has  235  feet,  the  thickest 
of  the  section.    In  No.  13  the  drift  decreases  to  165  feet  in  thickness. 

The  Pennsylvianian  rocks  or  "Coal  Measures/'  are  present  from  record 
No.  2  through  the  remainder  of  the  section.  Shale,  limestone,  and  coal 
predominate.  The  basal  sandstones  (Pottsville),  so  important  as  oil 
sands  in  other  sections  of  the  State,  are  probably  present  at  Springfield 
and  eastward,  but  with  the  exception  of  No.  11,  are  thin.  The  total 
amount  of  Pennsylvanian  rocks  in  No.  2  is  •  161  feet.  This  increases 
rapidly  to  the  east  with  increase  of  surface  elevation  and  the  natural 
dip  of  the  rocks  into  the  Illinois  basin.  The  base  of  the  Pennsylvanian 
in  No.  4  lies  at  about  700  feet,  and  in  No.  7  at  about  1,100  feet.  This 
well  lies  near  the  bottom  of  the  structural  basin  and  hence  possesses 


126  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

the  g-reatest  thickness  of  these  rocks  along-  the  E-E  line.  They  thin  to  the 
east,  and  records  No.  12  and  13  shoAv  a  thickness  of  ahout  450  feet  of 
the  Pennsylvanian. 

The  lowest  part  of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  (Pottsville  sands)  is  cor- 
related between  wells  No.  4  and  No.  11.  Some  uncertainty  exists  in  dis- 
tinguishing it  because  of  its  thinness.  In  No.  4  the  sands  measure  117 
feet  while  in  No.  7  they  decrease  to  55  feet.  From  No.  7  to  No.  11,  their 
correlation  is  very  doubtful.  The  presence  of  red  shales  in  record  No.  9 
distinguishes  the  Chester  formations,  leavin<2^  the  overlying  rocks  froni 
970  to  1,100  feet  as  Pottsville.  Record  No.  11  does  not  reveal  the  presence 
of  red  shale  and,  therefore,  the  correlation  is  based  upon  the  character  of 
the  sandstones.  The  top  of  the  Pottsville  is  considered  to  lie  at  583  feet 
and  the  bottom  at  825  feet.  Should  the  entire  thickness  of  the  sands  be 
included,  irrespective  of  interbedded  limestones,  tlie  total  thickness  would 
reach  about  400  feet.  If  the  present  correlations  are  correct,  the  Potts- 
ville formations  increase  from  130  feet  in  No.  9  to  240  feet  in  No.  11. 
The  Pottsville  appears  to  be  absent  in  the  remaining  logs  of  the  section. 

The  Chester  formations  of  the  Mississippian  series  of  rocks  are  con- 
spicuous iii  records  No.  7  and  9  and  are  probably  present  in  No.  11. 
They  are  shown  to  have  "pinched  out"  at  some  point  between  Nos.  4 
and  7,  for  they  are  not  present  in  the  excellent  record  at  Springfield 
or  in  those  west  of  it.  The  top  limestone  is  found  at  a  depth  of  1,115 
feet  in  No.  7  and  1,100  feet  in  No.  9.  The  correlation  of  the  limestone. 
is  doubtful  in  No.  11  since  it  may  be  either  that  at  825  or  at  980  feet. 
The  former  is  chosen,  because  of  the  extreme  thickness  of  sands  and 
especially  because  the  massive  Pottsville  sands  of  the  lower  portion  of  the 
State  do  not  include  limestones.  The  limestone  immediately  underly- 
ing them  has  been  regarded  as  the  top  of  the  Chester. 

The  Chester  red  shale  is  present  only  in  No.  7  and  No.  9.  It  lies 
at  the  respective  depths  of  1,181  and  1,140  feet  in  the  two  wells  and 
is  level  between  them.     It  thickens,  however,  from  No.  7  to  No.  9. 

The  sand  underlying  the  red  shale  is  thought  to  be  comparable  to  the 
Benoist  and  Kirkwood  sand  of  the  A-A  section,  though  the  evidence 
is  hardly  sufficient  to  establish  the  fact.  The  sand  occurs  at  the  re- 
spective depths  of  1,253,  1,280,  and  1,027  feet  in  wells  Nos.  7,  9,  and  11. 

The  position  of  the  older  rocks  from  No.  1  at  Beardstown  to  No.  4 
at  Springfield  is  an  interesting  feature  of  the  E-E  cross-section.  Well 
No.  1  passed  through  the  Mississippian  series  of  the  Carboniferous  sys- 
tem;  the  Silurian  system;  and  penetrated  the  St.  Louis,  Warsaw,  and 
Keokuk  formations  of  the  Mississippian.  Record  No.  3  passed  into  the 
Burlington  limestone  of  the  same  system,  in  addition  to  the  formations 
of  No.  2.  Record  No.  4  reached  the  top  of  the  Silurian  limestone  and 
in  addition  to  the  formations  of  No.  3,  passed  through  the  Fern  Glen 
and  Kinderhook  of  the  Mississippian  and  the  Devonian  black  shales. 
Record  No.  4  was  interpreted  by  T.  E.  Savage.  The  various  groups  of 
formations  are  discussed  in  order  of  downward  sequence,  beginning 
with  that  portion  of  the  Mississippian  series  below  the  Chester  form- 
ations. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  127 

The  top  of  the  St.  Louis  occurs  in  the  four  wells  at  the  respective 
depths  of  90,  2T8,  565.  and  780  feet.  It  is  also  probably  penetrated  in 
wells  Nos.  9  and  11,  at  1,335  and  1,119  feet  respectively. 

The  Burlington  limestone  probably  occurs  in  Xo.  3  and  Xo.  4  at 
depths  of  780  and  1,077  feet.  The  former  record  reveals  a  thickness  of 
at  least  132  feet,  while  the  remaining  53  feet  of  the  record,  described 
as,  "hard,  sandy,  limestone  with  light-green  streaks  in  gray  limestone, 
good  show  of  oil,"  is  thought  to  be  Osage  and  Fern  Glen.  The  base 
of  the  Burlington  in  Xo.  -t  is  at  1,175  feet  and  the  thickness  of  the 
formation  is  100  feet. 

The  Fern  Glen  is  identified  onlv  in  Xo.  1.  It  occurs  fro  1,175  to 
1,248  feet  and  is  73  feet  thick. 

The  Kinderhook  and  Hamilton  shales  are  reached  at  a  depth  of  235 
feet  and  are  about  250  feet  thick  in  record  Xo.  1.  The  top  of  the 
formation  probably  lies  also  at  or  near  the  bottom  of  Xo.  3,  a  depth  of 
965  feet.  The  Kinderhook  formation  is  composed  of  a  sandstone  91 
feet  thick  in  Xo.  4,  and  is  reached  at  1,248  feet. 

The  Devonian  black  shales  are  not  mentioned  in  Xo.  1  and  if  present 
are  included  under  Hamilton  shales.  They  are  definitely  identified 
in  Xo.  4,  from  1,339  to  1,472  feet  in  depth,  and  133  feet  thick. 

The  top  of  the  Silurian  rocks  (Xiagara  limestone)  lies  at  485  feet 
in  Xo.  1  and  is  70  feet  thick.     In  Xo.  4  it  is  reached  at  1,472  feet. 

The  Cincinnatian  shale,  the  Galena-Trenton,  and  the  St.  Peter  sand- 
>tone  of  the  Ordovician  system,  underlie  the  Xiagaran  limestone  of 
the  Silurian  system.     They  are  only  present  in  record  Xo.  1. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  structure  of  the  E-E  cross-section  is  indicated  by  the  '*4ie''  of 
coals  Xos.  2,  5,  and  6. 

Xo.  2  coal  is  shown  in  records  Xos.  2,  3,  and  4.  It  shows  an  even  dip 
eastward.  Xo.  5  coal  is  the  workable  bed  about  Springfield  and  Deca- 
tur. It  is  easily  traced  from  the  Springfield  Avell  (Xo.  4)  to  the  Decatur 
well  (Xo.  8).  The  dip  is  gentle,  but  one  deformation  is  noticeable,  a 
slight  "terrace"  structure  west  of  Xiantic  .  The  dip  of  the  coal  from 
Mechanicsburg  to  Xiantic  is  50  feet  in  14  miles  or  at  the  rate  of  314 
feet  per  mile.  The  dip  of  the  coal  l^etween  Xiantic  and  Decatur  is  140 
feet  in  12  miles  or  at  the  rate  of  about  12  feet  per  mile.  This  irregular- 
ity may  be  of  too  small  extent  to  be  conducive  to  oil  accumulation,  still 
it  warrants  investigation.  Its  position  on  the  section  seems  to  be  com- 
parable to  that  at  Sandoval  and  Duquoin  on  the  A-A  and  C-C  sections. 

Xo.  6  coal  is  correlated  from  well  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  8.  It  parallels  coal 
Xo.  5  a  short  distance  above  it.  This  horizon  shows  the  same  irregular- 
ity at  Xiantic  that  was  pointed  out  in  Xo.  5  coal.  Eecord  Xo.  6  marks 
the  beginning  of  a  dip,  which  apparently  extends  to  Cerro  Gordo.  Thus, 
there  is  a  basin  or  trough  similar  to  that  of  the  A-A  section  (PI.  7), 
but  of  smaller  size.  It  is  presumably  the  continuation  of  the  same 
1-asin  from  the  south.     The  identity  of  the  coal  in  well  Xo.  9  is  ques- 


128  VEAR-BOOK    FOR    190Vi.  [BULL    NO.  16 

tionablc.  A  rise  in  the  formation  takes  place  from  Ccrro  Gordo  to  tlie 
east.  Fl'om  No.  9  to  No.  10  it  seems  to  be  230  feet  in  15  miles  or  at 
the  rate  of  15  feet  per  mile,  if  the  suggested  correlations  are  correct. 
The  discussion  of  the  coals  between  Nos.  10  and  12  will  be  found  on 
page  166.  No.  6  coal  is  doubtfully  identified  in  logs  Nos.  12  and  13.  The 
rise  from  No.  14  to  No.  17  is  222  feet  in  9  miles  or  about  25  feet  per 
mile. 

The  Pottsville  sandstones  and  the  Chester  formations  add  little  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  structure  of  the  section.  The  La  Salle  anticline 
causes  them  to  rise  rapidly  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  basin. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  most  promising  structural  features  along  this  section  are  enumer- 
ated in  the  following  list,  and  are  described  in  more  detail  on  page  170. 

(1)  A  slight  "terrace"  occurs  at  Niantic. 

(2)  The  La  Salle  anticline  crosses  the  section  presumably  between 
Sadorus  and  Tolono. 

Summary. 

The  features  of  the  five  cross-sections  just  described  are  sufficiently 
similar  to  permit  conclusions  as  to  the  general  stratigraphy  and  struc- 
ture and  the  relation  of  these  to  oil  accumulation.  The  remarks  sup- 
plement those  already  given  under  General  Geology  of  Illinois. 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

The  rocks  encountered  in  drill  holes  along  the  cross-sections  belong 
chiefly  to  the  Pennsylvanian  ("Coal  Measures")  series  of  the  Carbon- 
iferous system.  The  underlying  Mississippian  ("Sub- Carboniferous") 
series  includes  a  great  thickness  at  places  where  all  of  its  various  mem- 
bers are  present.  Nevertheless,  oil  prospects  rarely  go  below  the  Ches- 
ter formations,  at  the  top  of  the  Mississippian,  and  since  the  sections 
include  few  records  of  deeper  formations,  supplemental  notes  to  those 
previously  presented  (p.  66)  will  not  be  given  here. 

The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  are  shown  to  be  thickest  in  the  south  central 
part  of  the  State  along  the  axis  of  the  main  basin  or  syncline.  For  this 
region  they  become  thinner  as  the  formations  rise  toward  the  borders 
of  the  State.  This  is  due  partly  to  surface  erosion  and  partly  to  varia- 
tions in  original  deposition.  While  the  later  strata  were  perhaps  State- 
wide, originally,  tlie  first  basal  sandstones  (Pottsville  beds)  were  re- 
stricted to  a  comparatively  small  depression  in  the  southeastern  coun- 
ties :  Hardin,  Pope,  Johnson,  etc.  As  the  Pottsville  sea  extended, 
higher  beds  covered  wider  and  wider  areas.  The  sections  show  that  the 
Pottsville  is  practically  absent  west  of  an  irregular  line  drawn  from 
Springfield  through  Carlyle  to  Coulterville.  It  is  also  absent  north  of 
Springfield,  except  possibly,  in  the  vicinity  to  the  northeast,  and  a 
small  area  at  Eock  Island.  A  thickness  of  450  feet  along  sections  C-C, 
decreases  to  300  feet  along  A-A,  and  to  50  or  100  feet  along  E-E. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES.  129 

The  Chester  formations  are  not  shown  to  be  present  west  of  a  line 
from  Decatur  to  O'Fallon.  Southeast  of  this  boiindarv  they  prol)ably 
are  present  except  wliere  removed  by  erosion  just  preceding  the  depo- 
sition of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks.  Probably  an  indication  of  such 
erosion  is  shown  by  the  irregular  base  of  the  Pottsville  between  Marissa 
and  Duquoim  of  the  C-C  section.  Doubtless  the  red  shales  and  Benoist 
or  Kirkwood  oil  sand  are  locally  absent  because  of  this  erosion. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  sections  have  served  to  show  the  shape  of  the  Illinois  basin;  the 
position  of  its  axis;  and  the  location  and  character  of  the  La  Salle  anti- 
cline, of  the  Sandoval-Duquoin  anticline  or  "terrace/'  and  of  minor 
deformations. 

The  basin  has  its  axis  along  a  line  through  or  near  Cerro  Gordo,  Lov- 
ington,  and  Olncy,  closely  parallel  to  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The  south- 
ern part  of  the  basin  is  broad  and  level  enough  to  include  parts  of  Eich- 
land,  Wayne,  Hamilton,  Edwards,  and  White  counties.  In  this  region 
Coal  Xo.  6  lies  1,200  to  1,400  feet,  or  more,  below  the  average  surface 
level,  or  600  to  800  feet  below  sea  level.  The  axis  rises  towards  the 
northwest,  bringing  the  coal  to  about  50  feet  above  sea  level  at  Cerro 
Gordo  and  to  about  300  feet  above  sea  level  in  the  vicinity  of  Spring 
Valley. 

The  prominent  La  Salle  and  Duquoin  folds  are  indicated  on  the 
sections  and  the  former  fold  has  been  described  in  detail  (p.  165).  The 
Duquoin  anticline  is  strongly  developed  at  that  town  and  continues  to 
the  south  and  west,  where  it  finally  connects  with  a  fault.  (See  PL 
32.)  To  the  north,  at  Centralia,  this  anticline  is  strong,  but  where 
the  Sandoval  dome  is  located  at  the  top  of  the  "terrace,"  the  flanks  dip 
more  gently.  The  writer  thinks  that  the  monocline  may  continue  to 
the  north  and  cross  the  E-E  section  near  Xiantic. 

The  uniformity  of  minor  deformations  along  the  flanks  of  the  Illi- 
nois basin  is  particularly  noticeable  through  the  sections.  A  birds-eye 
view  of  the  coal  of  the  east  and  wTst  sections  suggests  continuity  of  small 
anticlines  and  structural  terraces  trending  north  and  south  through 
them.  These  have  been  drawn,  roughly,  and  are  shown  as  dotted  lines  in 
Plate  6.    These  disturbances  in  the  coal  suggest  places  for  future  drilling. 


PROSPECTED   AND  PPtOSPECTIVE   TERRITORY. 

Gexeral  Statement. 

Outside  of  the  main  oil  fields  of  southeastern  Illinois  there  are 
several  localities  which  have  been  prospected  with  some  success.  A  num- 
ber of  these  have  been  mentioned  on  preceding  pages.  There  are  other 
promising  localities  where  drilling  may  be  pursued  with,  at  least,  some 
reason  to  hope  for  success.     The  following  pages  describe  the  conditions 

—9  G 


180  VEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

wliicli  exist  in  the  Marion  and  Eandolph  county  fields;  those  at  Carlin- 
ville,  and  at  other  localities  which  have  been  prospected.  In  addition, 
the  area  of  the  La  Salle  anticline,  of  the  pre-Carboniferous  rocks,  and 
of  promising  terrace  and  anticlinal  structures  are  presented.  It  is  hoped 
that  these  suggestions  will  stimulate  prospecting  in  favorable  areas 
and,  at  the  same  time,  check  drilling  in  those  of  little  promise,  thus 
eliminating  some  of  the  guess-work  of  present  ^%ild-catting." 

Marion  County, 
location  and  history  of  the  field. 

The  most  notable  results  from  "wild-catting'^  in  Illinois  developed 
in  Marion  County  in  the  vicinity  of  Sandoval  and  Centralia.  There 
are  three  localities  producing  oil  in  this  county.  The  first  one  opened 
up  was  a  shallow  field  midway  between  Sandoval  and  Centralia.  The 
second  and  largest  field  is  1  mile  north  of  Sandoval.  The  third  and 
latest  development  is  li/^  miles  east  of  Centralia.  The  last  two  fields 
produce  oil  from  deep  sands. 

The  discovery  and  use  of  oil  from  a  seep  in  the  mine  of  the  Marion 
County  Coal  Company,  sec.  30,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.,  attracted  oil  operators 
to  this  section  of  the  State.  The  seep  in  the  mine  came  through  a  fault 
that  had  shifted  the  formations  out  of  their  natural  position.  The  oil 
was  gathered  and  used  as  a  lubricant  around  the  mine.  It  was  of  low 
gravity  and  hence  of  low  commercial  value,  but  its  presence  was  sig- 
nificant to  oil  operators. 

The  coming  of  oil  men  into  Marion  County  in  1908  resulted  in  con- 
siderable leasing,  and  a  short  time  afterward  a  company  styled  the 
Marion  County  Oil  and  Gas  Company  drilled  a  well  on  the  Sherman 
farm  in  sec.  29,  about  one-half  mile  southeast  of  the  mine.  The  well 
was  completed  by  November  1,  1908,  with  only  a  showing  of  oil  in  a 
sand  immediately  beneath  the  No.  6  coal.  The  sand  was  reported  to 
be  561  feet  deep  and  13  feet  thick.  Three  other  wells  were  drilled  just 
southwest  of  the  Sherman  well  on  the  Dykstra  farm  in  sec.  32.  These 
wells  produced  small  quantities  of  oil  from  the  sand  found  in  the  Sher- 
man well.  After  they  were  shot  each  produced  about  18  barrels  daily. 
This  dwindled  down  to  about  3  barrels  in  1908  and  at  the  present  time 
the  production  from  all  the  wells  is  insignificant. 

The  later  months  of  1908  brought  an  influx  of  leasing  agents  who 
blocked  out  and  leased  the  country  for  many  miles  around.  A  north 
and  south  direction  of  leasing  was  maintained,  upon  the  supposition 
that  an  oil  field  in  this  locality  would  naturally  parallel  the  La  Salle 
anticline.  In  the  early  spring  of  1909,  the  L.  Stein  No.  1  well  was 
drilled  in  sec.  5,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.  The  shallow  sand  found  in  the 
Dykstra  wells  was  not  reported  in  this  well  but  a  sand  producing  oil 
was  found  at  1,404  feet  and  was  given  the  name  of  the  "Stein"  sand. 
There  was  22  feet  of  it  reported,  yielding  about  50  barrels  per  day. 
Meantime,  the  Benoist  No.   1  well  of  the   Southwestern   Oil  and   Gas 


BLATCHLEYj  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOUECES.  181 

Company  was  being  drilled  on  the  Benoist  farm  in  sec.  8,  T.  2  N., 
E.  1  E.  This  well  was  located  about  1,200  feet  southeast  of  the  L. 
Stein  No.  1  on  the  adjoining  farm.  The  first  productive  sand,  or 
"Stein"  sand,  was  reached  at  1,385  feet  and  was  15  feet  thick.  The 
oil  pay  was  very  light  as  compared  to  that  of  the  L.  Stein  No.  1,  so 
the  drilling  was  continued  and  at  1,435  feet  a  second  sand,  40  feet  thick, 
was  encountered.  This  yielded  a  ^Tiole  full"  of  salt  water.  The  water 
was  cased  off  and  drilling  proceeded  to  the  third  sand  at  1,528  feet, 
which  is  now  known  as  the  Benoist  sand.  Fifty-three  feet  of  sand  was 
reported,  of  which  the  first  12  feet  produced  gas  with  an  excellent  pres- 
sure of  370  pounds  to  the  square  inch.  The  lower  portion  of  the  sand, 
from  1,540  to  1,546  feet,  yielded  200  barrels  of  oil  per  day.  The  gas 
pressure  was  uncontrollable  and  oil  was  sprayed  from  the  well  and  was 
carried  by  varying  winds  for  a  distance  of  one-eighth  mile  in  all  direc- 
tions. The  success  of  this  well  capped  the  climax  to  early  activities  in 
this  territory.  There  was  renewed  leasing  with  exorbitant  bonuses 
w^hich  later  occasioned  serious  losses  by  hindering  development.  Drilling 
was  very  expensive  in  this  region  because  of  the  depth  to  the  sand  and 
particularly  because  of  the  friable  shales  that  caved  continually,  thus 
delaying  drilling  and  adding  expense  in  wages  and  material. 

Prospecting  was  continued  in  the  same  locality.  A  dry  well  was  com- 
pleted on  the  Warfield  farm  in  sec.  5,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.  Late  in  the 
summer  of  1909  a  successful  well  was  drilled  by  Burton  Brothers  Oil 
Company  on  the  Shanklin  farm,  sec.  4,  T.  2  N.^  E.  1  E.  The  Benoist  sand 
was  penetrated  at  1,559  feet.  A  dry  well  was  drilled  to  the  west  of  the 
deep  productive  area  on  the  Thomas  farm  of  Clinton  County,  in  sec.  13, 
T.  2  N.,  E.  1  W.  A  show  of  oil  was  found  in  a  sand  at  1,417  feet.  There 
was  60  feet  of  sand,  of  which  the  first  15  feet  showed  some  oil  and  the 
last  45  feet  produced  salt  water.  The  water  seemed  to  prevent  oil  pro- 
duction and  so  "swabbing'^  was  resorted  to.  This  effort  proved  futile 
and  the  well  was  abandoned.  The  tendency  to  search  for  an  anticline 
parallel  to  that  of  Crawford  and  Lawrence  counties,  prompted  drilling 
10  miles  north  of  Sandoval.  Dr.  E.  E.  Eiggs  drilled  to  the  depth  of 
1,640  feet  on  the  Chandler  farm  in  sec.  20,  T.  4  N.,  E.  1  E.  He  encoun- 
tered two  sands  with  a  very  light  show  of  oil.  The  first  was  at  a  depth 
of  1,600  feet.  There  was  12  feet  of  sand  followed  by  4  feet  of  shale. 
The  second  sand  was  gotten  at  1,616  feet.  The  first  5  feet  of  this  made 
a  showing  of  oil,  while  the  remainder  to  1,640  feet  yielded  salt  water. 
A  second  well  was  drilled  by  Dr.  Eiggs,  6  miles  east  of  the  Chandler  well 
in  sec.  20,  T.  4  IST.,  E.  2  E.  He  failed  to  find  the  Benoist  sand,  but 
drilled  to  1,740  feet  before  abandoning  the  well. 

Several  other  "wild-cat''  wells  in  and  about  the  present  productive 
area  are  worthy  of  note.  The  first  one  mentioned  is  upon  the  Joseph 
Cannon  farm  in  sec.  35,  T.  3  N.,  E.  1  E.  It  was  drilled  by  E.  E. 
Steiner  and  A.  H.  Gibson  to  a  depth  of  1,680  feet.  The  Benoist  sand 
was  gotten  at  1,625  feet.  Another  well  was  drilled  upon  the  Erno  farm 
in  sec.  35,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.  The  Benoist  sand  was  found  at  1,574  feet 
and  was  unproductive.     A  well  was  drilled  by  the  Ohio  Oil  Company 


1*^2  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

on  the  S.  E.  Carrigan  farm  1  mile  north  of  Fairman.  It  was  dry  and 
discredited  the  territory  north  of  the  present  field.  Drilling  was  carried 
to  a  depth  of  1,622  feet,  though  the  Benoist  sand  was  reported  at  1,488 
feet. 

A  new  oil  territory  was  opened  up  in  the  vicinity  of  Centralia  during 
the  early  part  of  the  summer  of  1910,  that  gave  impetus  to  drilling  in 
Marion  County.  The  oil  was  gotten  from  a  sand  of  the  same  horizon 
as  that  near  Sandoval.  The  sand  was  very  thin,  however,  and  the  posi- 
tion of  the  coal  contours  shows  it  to  be  well  down  the  eastern  slope. 
The  first  well  was  drilled  upon  the  Brown  farm,  sec.  16,  T.  1  N.,  R.  1 
E.,  and  initially  produced  about  40  barrels.  The  second  well  was  on  the 
Langewich  farm  in  sec.  4,  about  11/2  miles  north  of  the  Brown  well, 
and  produced  about  50  barrels.  The  third  and  last  well  was  drilled 
on  the  Baker  farm,  1,200  feet  west  of  the  Brown  wells.  The  producing 
sand  of  this  locality  was  very  thin,  especially  in  this  well,  and  only  a 
show  of  oil  was  obtained.     The  well  has  been  abandoned. 

GEOLOGY  OF  THE  AREA. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  general  cross-section,  A-A  (PL  7), 
between  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  Vincennes,  Ind.,  passes  through  the  oil 
territory  of  Marion  County  and  shows  graphically  the  position  of  the 
coals  and  lower  formations  in  that  area.  It  shows  good  evidence  of  the 
structure  that  governs  the  general  accumulation  of  oil  in  the  new 
Sandoval  field.  Fiirther  evidence  of  the  structure  and  stratigraphy  in 
Marion  County  is  given  herewith  by  two  cross-sections  (Pis.  12  and  13). 
A  contour  map  upon  No.  6  coal  (PI.  14)  also  shows  its  dip  and  position. 

Cross-section,  A-A' — This  cross-section  (PL  12)  shows  the  position 
of  the  No.  6  coal  and  the  lower  formations  along  a  line  drawn  from  the 
No.  5  mine  of  the  Centralia  Coal  Company,  located  in  sec.  25,  T.  1  K., 
R.  1  W.,  to  the  Chandler  well  in  sec.  20,  T.  4  N.,  R.  1  E.  It  follows  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  in  a  direct  line  between  Centralia  and  Patoka. 
References  to  well  records  that  make  up  the  section  are  given  below, 
and  such  logs  as  are  not  given  elsewhere  in  the  report  are  published 
here. 

Logs  45,  43,  40,  39,  31,  27,  28,  8,  and  5  are  given  on  page  140,  under 
corresponding  numbers. 

Log  No.  1  is  given  on  page  73,  as  No.  18. 

(No.   24.) 

Treat — Crawford — Treat  Oil  Co.  (Benoist  No.  2.) 


Coal  (No.  6) . 
Benoist  sand . 


Depth- 
Feet. 


570 
1,508 


X 


-^— H- 


m 


c^ 

^ 


-^'^^^w 


C-.i: 


.01 
.31 
.35 
.45 
.62 
.63 
i90 
.92 
)04 
il2 
■)22 


HJ<d  .i4^»i»J«ai>  i*>Aiii»di« 


on  ^\\\sa\^0 

disc 

to  a-  *-. 

feet^'  ^ 

the 

Mai     n 
ast      M 
tion      i  I 
The      • 
E,  I 
Lan^ 
and 
oil  t 
sand 
sho"\\ 


/ 


V 


IT 


\^^^^^ 


.^^V 


c-  r . 


It 
betwi  j 
terrii  j 
coals  ' 
struc 
Sand-' 
Mari( 
A  coi 

Cn 
of  th. 
No.  5 
E.  1 
Illino 
Eefer 
and  s 
here. 

Lo^ 
corres 

Log 

(No. 


.^v\ii\  K^^ 


Coal  (No 
Benoist  s 


BLATCHLEY] 

(No.   10). 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


Southwestern  Oil  and  Gas  Co.  f  War  field  Xo.  l.j 


183 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Coal  (No.  6) . 
Stein  sand.. 


570 
1.402 


(No.  4). 


Ohio  Oil  Co.   iCarrigan  Well.) 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth— 
Feoi. 

SoU 

10 
10 

33 
12 
49 
70 
5 

102 
59 

110 
21 
76 
58 
10 
95 
7 

% 

83 
28 
8 
26 
46 
23 
20 
27 
12 
61 
35 
22 

5 

1 

10 
25 
15 
15 
30 
20 
25 
50 
43 
20 
13 
30 

4 
10 
17 

1 
27 

2 
12 

8 
10 

10 

Slate 

20 

Quick  sand 

53 

Limestone 

65 

Black  slate 

114 

Slate 

184 

Limestone 

1S9 

White  slate 

291 

Blac-k  slate 

350 

White  slate 

460 

Limestone 

481 

White  slate 

557 

Black  slate 

615 

Red  rock 

625 

Slate 

720 

Coal  (No.  6; 

727 

Black  slate 

784 

Lime.st0Tie 

789 

Slate 

872 

Sandstone 

900 

Slate 

908 

Sand 

qoA 

Black  slate 

980 

White  slate 

1  003 

Limestone 

1  023 

White  slate 

1  050 

Limestone 

1  062 

Slate 

1,123 
1.158 
I.ISO 
1  195 

Sand 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

1:220 
1  225 

Red  rock 

Limestone 

1  230 

Slate ^ :;;;:: 

Limestone 

1:235 
1  245 

.Slate 

1  270 

Limestone 

1.285 
1.300 

i.aso 

1.350 
1  375 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

Bedrock 

.Stein  sand  (?) 

1  425 

Slate  and  shells 

1.468 
1,488 
1,501 
1  531 

Limestone 

Benoist  sand  (?) 

Water  sand 

Red  rock  (caA-y) 

1.535 
1  545 

Limestone : 

Water  sand 

L562 
1  563 

Pink  rock " ".' 

Water  sand 

1  590 

Shelly  slate 

1592 

Broken  sand  (cavy) 

1  604 

Limestone 

1  612 

Slate  (cavy) 

1  fi?? 

134 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Cross-section,  B-B'. — The  cross-section  B-B'  was  drawn  from  the 
Thomas  well.  (No.  25)  in  sec.  13,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  W,  to  the  Cannon  well 
(No.  7)  in  sec.  35,  T.  3  N.,  R.  1  E.,  a  distance  of  over  3  miles.  This  sec- 
tion shows  more  clearly  the  conditions  at  Sandoval.  It  was  made  up  of 
tlie  following  logs  which  correspond  by  number  to  those  on  page  140. 

(No.  25). 

8kelly  Oil  Co.  (August  Thomas  well.) 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth— Feet. 

From     1       To 

1 

Saud  (oil  show) 

15 
45 
49 

'I 

1,417 
1,482 
1,551 
1,600 
1,610 
1,650 
1,660 

1,432 
1,477 
1,600 
1,610 
1,650 
1,660 
1,668 

Sand  (salt  water) 

Sand. : 

Slate 

Sand 

Limestone 

Slate  and  red  rock 

(No.  24) 


(No.  10). 


(No.  28). 


Given  under  the  A — A'  section  of  Marion  County, 


Given  under  the  A — A'  section  of  Marion  Countj^ 


Southwestern  Oi 

I  d  Gas  Co.  (Benoist  No.  1.) 

Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
From 

—Feet. 

Coal 

616 

Red  rock 

t 

15 
15 
40 
15 
53 

1,340 
1,385 
1,435 
1,510 
1,530 

1  355 

Sand  (Stein  sand) 

1,400 
1,495 
1,525 
1  583 

Sand  (hole  full  of  salt  water) 

Limestone 

Benoist  sand  .          .   . 

(No.  12.) 


Southwestern  Oil  &  Gas  Co.  (Louis  Stein  No.  2.) 


Depth- 
Feet. 

Coal 

624 

Stein  sand 

1,390 

Benoist  sand 

1  520-1  561 

(No.  13). 

Southwestern  OH  d-  Gas  Co.  (Dean  No.  1.) 

Depth- 
Feet. 

(-oal  (No  6)                                                   

617 

1,430 

Benoist  sand                                                 

1,550-1,573 

BLATCHLEY] 
(No.   18.) 


LLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


See  table,  (page  140). 


185 


(No.  7.) 


Steiner  and  Gibson  Oil  Company.     (Cannon  well.) 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 

I— Feet. 

From. 

To. 

Coal  (No.  6) 

715 

Sand  (salt  water) 

60 
10 

8 

1,020 
1,230 
1,240 
1,248 
1,330 
1,338 
1,345 
1,350 
1,370 
1,372 
1,410 
1,430 
1,475 
1,482 
1,500 
1,515 
1,550 
1,595 
1,600 
1,610 
1,625 
1,630 
1,640 
1,650 
1,656 

1,080 
1  240 

Pencil  cave 

Slate  (cave) 

1,248 

Lime  shell 

Red  rock 

8 

5 
20 

2 
38 
20 
45 

7 
18 
15 
35 
45 

5 
10 
15 

5 
10 
10 

6 
24 

1,338 
1  345 

Pencil  cave 

Lime  shell 

1,350 

Slate  (cave) 

1  370 

Lime  shell 

1,372 

Slate  and  shells 

1  410 

Salt  water  sand 

1  430 

Shells  and  limestone 

1,475 

Slate 

1  482 

Slate  and  pencil  cave 

1,500 

Hard  limestone 

1  515 

Limestone 

1  550 

Slate .  . 

1  595 

Red  rock 

1  600 

Pencil  cave 

1  610 

Lime  shell 

1  625 

Oil  sand 

1,630 

Red  rock 

1,640 

Slate 

1  650 

Black  water  sand 

1,656 

Soft-white  sand  (water  in  the  bottom) 

1,680 

Two  additional   logs,   not  given   in  the  cross-sections,   are   presented 
below. 


(No.  42.) 


Brown  Oil  Well.     fCentralia  Oil  Company.) 


Thickness 

Depth- 

Feet. 

Feet. 

i 

0 

3 

17 

20 

10 

30 

10 

40 

25 

65 

35 

100 

65 

165 

20 

185 

10 

195 

35 

230 

35 

265 

20 

285 

10 

295 

57 

352 

8 

360 

50 

410 

65 

475 

125 

600 

15 

615 

10 

625 

25 

650 

25 

675 

7 

682 

22 

704 

Derrick  floor 
Yellow  mud . 
Blue  rock  . . . 
White  rock . . 
Brown  shale . 
White  slate . . 
Dark  slate . . . 
Lime  stone . . 
Dark  slate . . . 
White  slate . . 
Black  slate . . 
Limestone . . . 
Black  slate . . 
White  slate . . 
Black  slate . . 
White  slate.. 
Dark  slate . . . 
White  slate . . 
Dark  slate . . . 

Red  rock 

White  slate . . 
Sandy  lime . . 
Black  slate . . 
White  slate . . 


180  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 

Broion  Oil  Well.     (Centralia  Oil  Company. )- 


[BULL.   NO.  16 

-Concluded. 


.    ■ 

Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Brown  sand 

11 

8 

110 

5 

25 
10 
10 
15 
20 
20 
25 
100 
10 

8 
47 
25 
10 
100 
20 
20 
40 
15 
35 
10 
50 
10 
20 
25 

5 
13 
17 

9 
66 

5 
10 

6 
21 

715 

Black  slate 

723 

Coal  and  water 

.730 

White  slate 

840 

Black  slate r 

845 

White  slate 

870 

White  sand  

880 

Black  slate 

890 

White  slate 

905 

Black  slate 

925 

White  slate 

945 

White  sand 

970 

Black  slate                                                                               

1,070 

White  slate 

1,080 

White  sand                                                                                                     .  .  . 

1,088 

Dark  sand  (salt  water)            

1,135 

White  slate 

1,160 

Black  mud  (salt  water) 

1,170 

Black  slate 

1,270 

White  slate    .                                                          

1,290 

White  lime 

1,310 

White  slate                                                               

1,350 

Pink  slate 

1,365 

Black  slate                                                                                         

1,400 

Dark  sand 

1,410 

White  sand  (salt  water)                                                                     

1,460 

Dark  slate  . .              .                      

1,470 

Lime                                                                                                      

1,490 

1,515 

Red  rock                                                                                                     

1,520 

Dark  slate                                                       

1,533 

Lime                                                                                                          

1,5.50 

•      1,559 

Blue  slate                                                                                                         

1,625 

Red  rock                                                                           

1,630 

1,640 

Oil  sand                                                                                                 

1,646 

1,667 

(No.  38.) 


Langewich  Oil  Well.     (Sayer  Oil  d  Gas  Co.) 


Thickness      Depth- 
— Feet.  Feet. 


Drift 

Slate 

Lime 

Slate 

Lime 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

Dark  slate 

Lime 

Coal  and  water . 

Black  slate 

Lime 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

Dark  slate 

Coal 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

Lime 

Black  slate 


155 

155 

10 

165 

10 

175 

90 

265 

20 

285 

67 

352 

8 

360 

115 

475 

25 

500 

100 

600 

15 

615 

10 

625 

7 

632 

18 

650 

25 

675 

40 

715 

10 

725 

23 

748 

5 

.     753 

42 

795 

^ 

845 

30 

875 

12 

887 

13 

900 

BLATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

Langeioich  Oil  Well.     fSayer  Oil  d  Gns  Co.) — Concluded. 


137 


Thickness 
—Feet. 


Depth- 
Feet. 


Lime 

15 
15 
80 
11 
16 
43 
20 
25 
51 
50 
24 
45 
10 
38 
25 
23 
17 
14 
15 
11 

30 

30 

8 

i                32 

39 
9 

915 

Darlc  sand 

930 

Black  slate 

1.010 

.Salt  sand 

1.021 

Black  slate 

1.037 

Salt  sand 

1.080 

Black  slate 

1.100 

Flint 

1.125 

Black  slate 

1,176 

Lime  and  slate 

1.226 

White  slate  . 

1,250 

Black  slate , 

1,295 

Gritty  lime '. 

1,.305 

Dark  sand 

1,343 

Dark  slate 

1.368 

White  sand 

1,393 

Lime 

1,410 

Sl^te 

1.424 

Sand . . . 

1,439 

Red  rock 

1,4.50 

Dark  slate 

1.455 

Lime 

1.485 

White  slate 

1.515 

Limestone 

1.522 

Pencil  slate 

1,552 

Red  rock 

1.560 

Slate 

1..592 

Sand 

1.631 

Oil  (pay) 

1.6:31 

Stratigraplty. — The  stratigraphy  of  the  Marion  County  oil  and  gas 
area  includes  a  deep  surface  covering  of  drift  over  the  hard  rocks.  It 
is  known  in  extreme  cases  to  measure  at  least  155  feet.  From  90  to 
125  feet  of  12%-inch  casing  have  been  used  in  wells  already  drilled. 
This  is  indicative  of  the  average  amount  of  drift  passed  through.  Well 
ISTo.  4  shows  53  feet  of  drifts  because  of  its  position  in  Kaskaskia  Eiver 
valley.  The  drift  consists  of  a  succession  of  sand,  gravel,  and  clay.  It 
is  underlain  by  the  Pennsylvanian  or  "Coal  Measures'^  rocks. 

The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  may  l)e  described  in  two  portions  of  which 
the  upper  is  characterized  by  coal  beds,  accompanied  by  limestones,  some 
sandstone,  and  especially  shales.  The  lower  portion  contains  thick, 
massive,  sandstones,  similar  in  age  to  the  Pottsville  rocks  of  the  Appa- 
lachian area. 

The  information  upon  the  up|3er  rocks  is  limited  in  this  vicinity, 
since  but  one  coal  is  generally  noticed.  This  is  Xo.  6  which  is  so  wide- 
spread over  most  of  the  southern  and  central  portions  of  Illinois.  It 
is  the  workable  bed  about  Centralia,  Sandoval  and  Odin.  Since  this 
coal  and  the  associated  rocks  dip  rapidly  to  the  east  of  Sandoval  and 
Centralia  and  to  the  north  of  the  Sandoval  oil  area,  there  is  a  consider- 
able variation  in 'the  chai'acter  and  the  thickness  of  the  upper  rocks  en- 
countered in  drilling.  At  Sandoval  there  are  .3  thin  coals  found  above 
No.  6  in  about  405  feet  of  '^Coal  Measures"  rocks.  At  Odin,  l)y  contrast, 
there  are  6  thin  coals,  varying  from  2  to  16  inches  in  thickness,  and  one 
thicker  bed  of  3  feet  and  2  inches  occurring  above  Coal  No.  6.  There 
are  575  feet  of  "Coal  Measures"  rocks  above  this  coal  at  Odin,  thus 


1B8 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


revealing  an  increase  in  their  thickness  of  110  feet.  The  upper  rocks 
come  in  125  feet  thick  from  Centralia  to  Odin  and  about  200  feet  thick 
from  Sandoval  to  well  No.  4  north  of  the  oil  fields.  From  well  No.  1 
to  well  No.  3  the  increase  is  71  feet.  The  total  amount  of  Pennsyl- 
vanian  rocks  above  the  Pottsville  portion  varies  from  about  797  feet 
at  Centralia  to  572  feet  at  Patoka.  The  amounts  east  and  west  of  San- 
doval were  discussed  on  page  84.  A  partial  record  of  one  of  the 
Dykstra  wells,  sec.  32,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.,  is  offered  herewith,  showing 
the  stratigraphical  position  of  the  shallow  oil  with  reference  to  the 
coal : 


(No.  36). 


Partial  Record  of  Dykstra  Well 


Depth— Feet. 

From. 

To. 

520 
540 
i;54 
550 
555 

540 

Black  slate 

544 

550 

Fire  clay 

555 

Oil  sand             .   .                                  ... 

570 

Eecords  are  not  at  hand  for  the  remaining  wells.  But  it  was  reported 
that  there  was  slight  change  in  the  position  of  the  strata.  Oil  was 
reported  in  a  sand  at  700  feet  in  one  of  the  wells,  thus  indicating  an  ac 
cumulation  between  the  oil  sand  of  the  Sherman  well,  and  the  place  of 
the  Stein  sand. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  this  shallow  sand  found  in  the  "Coal  Meas- 
ures" is  approximately  the  age  of  the  Casey  sand  in  Clark  County,  in 
which  oil  was  first  discovered  in  the  eastern  Illinois  field.  Data  are 
not  at  hand  for  a  final  correlation.  This  geological  horizon  is  fairly 
widespread  throughout  the  coal  basin  of  Illinois,  but  as  yet  it  has  been 
found  productive  in  only  two  or  three  places. 

Data  are  very  limited  upon  the  Pottsville  rocks  or  lower  portion  of  the 
"Coal  Measures"  in  Marion  County.  These  have  been  of  little  interest 
to  the  oil  operators  and  have  consequently  been  given  scant  notice.  One 
strong  feature  of  the  A-A'  section,  however,  is  the  extreme  thickness 
of  the  massive  sandstone  in  well  No.  1.  A  thickness  of  235  feet  of  sand, 
full  of  salt  water,  was  secured  at  a  deptli  of  765  feet;  its  lower  part, 
at  least,  appears  to  be  of  Pottsville  age.  Its  position,  thickness,  and 
water  content  corresponds  with  that  of  the  Buchanan  sand  of  the  east- 
ern Illinois  oil  field.  This  horizon  is  of  different  character  in  well  No. 
3,  given  as  No.  20  under  general  cross-section  A-x\,  page  7G.  It  is 
there  composed  of  alternate  strata  of  shale,  and  massive  sandstones. 
The  top  of  the  first  sandstone  is  at  885  feet  and  the  total  thickness  of 
the  Pottsville  to  the  bottom  of  the  lowest  sand  is  385  feet.  The  aggre- 
gate thickness  of  sandstone  is  290  feet.  This  is  an  increase  in  thick- 
ness of  55  feet  from  well  No.  1.  The  general  thickness  of  the  Potts- 
ville sands  is  not  present  in  the  wells  near  Centralia.     The  only  massive 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  189 

sand  of  this  horizon  was  found  in  well  No.  ^2  at  a  depth  of  1,088  feet. 
It  is  47  feet  thick  and  is  full  of  salt  water.  An  extreme  thickness  of 
shale  lies  above  and  below  the  sand.  The  same  is  true  of  well  No.  38^ 
in  which  the  sand  is  found  at  a  depth  .of  1,037  feet  and  is  43  feet  thick. 

The  Chester  formations  underlie  the  Pennsvlvanian  and  are  distinc- 
tive because  of  numerous  strata  of  limestone  interbedded  with  shale, 
sandstone,  and  red  rock  or  red  shale.  The  record  of  wells  in  the  San- 
doval field  do  not  show  the  top  of  the  Chester,  although  the  productive 
sands  lie  approximately  350  feet  below  it.  In  the  record  of  well  No.  7 
given  on  page  135,  the  top  of  the  Chester  lies  at  1,248  feet.  The  hole 
was  drilled  to  1,680  feet,  thus  penetrating  432  feet  of  the  Chester.  The 
top  of  the  Chester  is  doubtful  in  well  No.  1.  It  perhaps  lies  at  1,160 
feet  and,  therefore,  the  well  passes  through  480  feet  of  Chester.  In 
well  No.  3  the  beds  lie  deeper  and  but  348  feet  of  the  Chester  has  been 
penetrated.  The  top  occurs  at  1,392  feet.  The  red  shales  and  the  oil 
and  gas  sands  are  of  special  significance  in  the  Chester  of  Marion 
County. 

The  red  rock  or  red  shale  has  been  established  as  a  horizon  marker  in 
the  Sandoval  area.  Similarly  it  is  generally  accepted  as  a  marker  of  the 
position  of  the  Kirkwood  sand  of  the  eastern  Illinois  oil  fields,  the  Lind- 
ley  sand  of  Greenville,  and  the  Sparta  sand  of  Eandolph  County.  At 
the  present  time  it  is  preferred  by  the  majority  of  oil  men  to  No.  6  coal, 
in  that  this  coal  is  difficult  to  distinguish  from  the  other  coals  and  may 
be  overlooked,  while  the  red  shale  tends  to  discolor  the  water  used  in 
drilling,  and  its  presence  is  easily  determined.  The  more  complete 
records  show  at  least  four  red  shales.  One  lies  above  the  No.  6  coal  and 
three  between  it  and  the  productive  sands.  The  drillers  of  Marion 
County  make  particular  note  of  the  red  shale  immediately  overlying  the 
Stein  sand.  This  is  the  second  in  most  cases,  though  often  the  third, 
of  the  series.  The  average  distance  between  the  Stein  sand  and  the 
overlying  red  shale  in  the  Sandoval  field  is  about  50  feet  .  This  seem- 
ingly increases  to  the  northward  and  the  eastward.  The  red  rock  is 
approximately  1,350  feet  below  the  surface,  and  about  725  feet  below 
No.  6  coal. 

The  two  oil-bearing  sands  at  Sandoval  lie  about  1,350  to  1,550  feet 
below  the  surface.  The  Stein  sand  lies  about  1,385  to  1,430  feet  below 
the  surface  and  770  to  840  below  Coal  No.  6.  The  Benoist  sand  lies 
from  1,520  to  1,550  below  the  surface  and  895  to  940  feet  below  the  No.  6 
coal.  These  sands  lie  much  deeper  east  of  Centralia  but  they  still  show 
a  similar  interval  beneath  the  coal.  The  table  on  page  140,  compiled 
from  numerous  records,  shows  the  intervals  between  the  two  producing 
sands. 

Structure. — The  structure  or  ^'lay"  of  the  rock  beds  is  an  effective 
agent  in  the  accumulation  of  oil  near  Sandoval.  This  region  lies  well 
down  the  western  side  of  the  Illinois  basin  with  the  prevailing  dip  of 
all  the  formations  to  the  east.  The  general  cross-section  A-A  shows  the 
eastward  dip  through  Sandoval,  Odin,  and  Salem  (PI.  7).  The  coal 
has  practically  a  uniform  dip  from  Breese  eastward  until  it  reaches  the 


140 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.   16 


vicinity  of  Odin.  From  that  locality  there  is  a  particularly  sharp  dip 
to  Salem,  amounting  to  170  feet  in  6  miles.  It  would  appear  by  con- 
trast of  dip  that  a  structural  terrace  begins  near  Odin  and  runs  from 
thence  westward  toward  Shattuc,  The  general  impression  of  a  nortli- 
south  bench  in  this  vicinity  is  given  by  a  comparison  of  the  general 
cross-sections  (Pis.  7  to  11).  There  is  also  a  steep  dip  of  the  coal  east- 
ward from  Brownstown,  Fayette  County,  as  further  evidence  of  the 
presence  of  the  feature  from  Centralia  to  that  point.  More  local  studies 
reveal  a  dome-like  structure  near  Sandoval.  It  is  possible  that  a  com- 
bination of  both  dome  and  terrace  exists  and  it  is  assumed  for  the  pres- 
ent that  the  dome  is  not  isolated,  but  is  an  irregular  portion  of  the  so- 
called   terrace. 

Data  from  ivells  and  mines  of  the  Sandoval  area. 


Coal 

Location. 



No.  G. 

A 

.d 

m 

a 

p) 

(D 

t: 

o 

0 

O, 

§ 

1 

T 

1% 

1 

o 

2 
1 

6 

.d 

0) 

-tj 

i 

i 

1 

^ 

zn 

1 

^ 

1^ 
1— 1 

1 

a 
pq 


Chandler  well— E.  R.  Riggs . . 

Bledsoe  well 

Oglesby  well— E.  R.  Riggs . . . 
Carrigan  well— Ohio  Oil  Co . . . 
Groscher  well— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Wm.  Leith  well— Southwestern  Oil 

&  Gas  Co 

.Toe  Cannon  well — Steiner  and  Gib- 
son  

Hegedorn  well— Southwestern  Oil 

&  Gas  Co 

Bohner  well— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Warfield    well    (1) — Southwestern 

Oil  &  Gas  Co 

L.  stein  (1)— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

L.  Stein  (2)— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co .■ 

Dean  (1)— Southwestern  Oil  &  Gas 

Co 

Shanklin  (1)— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Terry  (1)—Skelly 

Terry  (2)— Skelly 

Lanham  well— Jennings 

Ferd   Stein— Southwestern   OQ   & 

Gas  Co 

Woodward  well — Jennings. . . 
Chaffin  well — Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Sherman  well— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Shafl'nit  well— Southwestern  Oil  & 

Gas  Co 

Benoist   (1) — Southwestern   Oil   & 

Gas  Co 

; Benoist  (2)— Treat-Crawford-Treat 
1  Thomas  (2)— Skelly 


S.E.. 
N.W. 
N.W. 
S.W.. 

S.W.. 

S.E.. 
S.E.. 
S.W.. 

20 
23 
20 
16 

4 
4 
4 
3 

IE. 
IE. 
2E. 
IE. 

470' 
500' 
530' 
489 

630 
630 
740 
720 

N.E.. 

S.W.. 

32 

3 

IE. 

499 

625 

S.E.. 

S.E.. 

32 

3 

IE. 

502 

618 

S.W,. 

S.E . . 

35 

3 

IE. 

520' 

715 

N.E.. 

N.E.. 

6 

2 

IE. 

491 

590 

S.E.. 

S.E.. 

6 

2 

IE. 

478 

565 

S.W.. 

S.E.. 

5 

2 

IE. 

500 

570 

S.E.. 

S.E.. 

5 

2 

IE. 

501 

611 

S.E.. 

S.E.. 

5 

2 

IE. 

503 

624 

S.W.. 

S.W.. 

4 

2 

IE. 

501 

617 

N.W. 
S.E.. 

S.E.. 
S.W.. 

S.W.. 
S.W.. 
S.W.. 
S.E.. 

4 
4 
4 
4 

2 
2 
2 
2 

IE. 
IE. 
IE. 
IE. 

500 
504 
502 
506 

627 
625 
623 
608 

S.E.. 
N.W. 

N.E.. 
S.E.. 

4 
9 

2 
2 

IE. 
IE. 

496 
503 

616 
670 

N.E.. 

N.W. 

9 

2I1E. 

503 

620 

N.W. 

N.W. 

9 

2  IE. 

503 

612 

N.W. 

N.W. 

9 

2 

IE. 

502 

614 

N.E.. 
N.E.. 
|N.W^ 

N.E.. 

N.W. 
N.W. 

8 
8 
13 

2 
2 

2 

IE. 
IE. 
IW. 

502 
497 
480' 

616 
570 

570 

-160 
-130 
-210 
-231 

-126 

-116 

-195 


-70 

-110 

-121 

-116 

-127 
-121 
-121 
-102 

-120' 

-117 

-109 

-112 

-114 
-73 


1,402 
1,404 
1,390 
1,430 


1,415 
1,385 


1,417 


1,543 


1,619 
1,656 


1,521 

1,520 

1,550 

1,559 
1,551 
1,546 


1,550 

1,550 

1,537 

1,530 
1,508 
1,551 


913 


1,001 
940 


910 

896 

933 

932 
926 
923 


930 
938 
923 

914 

938 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


141 


Data  from  loells  and  mines  of  the  Sandoval  area. — Concluded. 


Name. 


Location. 


Coal 
No.  6. 


26  Thomas  ( 1)— Sturm 

27  |Middleton  &  Seidel— Coal  mine- 

South  mine^ 

28  Middleton   &   Seidel— coal  mine- 

East  mine 

28a  H.  Woodward  well— Ohio  Oil  Co.. 

29  Odin  Coal  Co — coal  mine 

30  Martin  well— C.  E.  Gibson 

31  Marion  County  Coal  Co. — coal  mine 

32  Marion  County  Oil   &   Gas  Co.— 

Sherman  welP 

33  Ross  well— Pure  Oil  Co 

34  Bundy  well— Phillips  &  Hughes. . . 

35  Emo  well— C.  E.  Gibson 

36  Dykstra  well- 

37  Heberling  &  Watson  weU^ 

38  Langewich  well- Sayer  Oil  &  Gas 

39  Centralia    Coal    Co. — coal    mine- 

mine  No.  4 

40  Centralia    Coal    Co. — coal    mine- 

mine  No.  3 

41  Baker  well — Centralia  Oil  Co 

42  Brown  well— Centralia  Oil  Co 

43  Centralia    Coal    Co.— coal    mine- 

mine  No.  2 

44  Miller  Oil  Company's  well- 

45  Centralia    Coal    Co. — coal    mine — 

mine  No.  5 


N.W. 

13 

2 

IW. 

S.W.. 

17 

2 

IE. 

N.W. 

17 

2 

IE. 

N.W. 

N.E.. 

15 

2 

IE. 

N.W. 

13 

2 

IE. 

N.W. 

N.W. 

21 

2 

IE. 

S.E.. 

N.E.. 

30 

2 

IE. 

S.E.. 

S.W.. 

29 

2 

IE. 

S.W.. 

N.W. 

27 

2 

IE. 

N.E.. 

S.E.. 

36 

2 

IE. 

N.W. 

S.W.. 

35 

2 

IE. 

S.W.. 

N.W. 

32 

2 

IE. 

N.E.. 

N.W. 

31 

2 

IE. 

S.W.. 

S.E.. 

4 

1 

IE. 

S.W.. 

N.E.. 

7 

1 

IE. 

N.W. 

S.E.. 

7 

1 

IE. 

S.W.. 

S.W.. 

9 

1 

IE. 

N.E.. 

N.W. 

16 

1 

1E.| 

N.W. 

N.W. 

19 

1 

IE. 

S.W.. 

N.W. 

20 

1 

IE. 

S.E.. 

N.E.. 

25 

1 

IW. 

5001 

493 

495 
515' 
531 
520 » 
510 

494 
520' 
480' 
510' 
488 
5201 

470' 


504 
499 
500 

502 
500' 

535 


670 
720 
663 
600 

536 
678 
800 
727 
544 
634 

632 

676 

635 
670 

723, 

5761 
720 

536 


-1 

— 147| 

-114 
—155 
—189 
—143 
—90 

—42 
—158 
—320 
—217 

—56 
—114 

—162 

—177 

—131 
—171 
—223 

—74 
—220 


1,424    792 


1, 550 


827 


1,547 


1,592    960 


847 


1,648    978 
l,640l  917 


*  Elevation  estimated  from  Rolfe's  Marion  County  contour  map. 
2 Shallow  well. 

The  detailed  structure  of  the  area  is  well  shown  by  the  contours  which 
indicate  the  position  and  dip  of  the  No.  6  coal  (PI.  14).  The  contour 
map  has  been  constructed  from  the  data  of  the  table,  after  the  method 
described  on  page  57.  A  contour  interval  of  25  feet  is  employed  in 
order  to  reduce  to  a  minimum  the  effect  of  possible  error  of  churn  drill 
records.  The  coal  is  traced  from  the  Centralia  Coal  Company's  mine 
in  sec.  25,  T.  1  'N.,  E.  1  W.,  Washington  County,  to  the  Riggs  wells 
18  miles  north.  The  area  thus  studied  is  about  5  miles  wide  and 
practically  covers  the  extent  of  the  oil  structure.  The  accompanying 
contour  map  is  especially  interesting  in  that  it  presents  an  extensive 
dome  in  the  coal  from  map  number  5,  near  Fairman,  to  No.  39  at 
Centralia.  The  highest  point  of  the  dome  lies  at  or  near  No.  32  in 
sec.  29,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  E.  From  this  point  there  is  a  gradual  dip  in 
all  easterly  directions.  The  contours  show  a  sharp  descent  between  No. 
32  and  No.  39  (at  least  partly  due  to  faulting)  and  from  No.  39  there 
is  a  southeasterly  dip  to  join  that  from  No.  45  to  No.  44.  Data  are 
not  at  hand  to  show  the  coal  structure  to  the  west.    The  coal  dips  to  the 


142  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

west  from  well  No.  32  to  the  region  immediately  west  of  No.  31,  and 
from  thence  it  rises  gradually  to  the  west.  This  has  been  pointed  out 
on  page  87,  .and  is  shown  in  cross-section  A- A  (PL  7).  The  dome 
swings  from  No.  32  to  the  west  side  of  Sandoval  and  from  thence 
northward  to,  and  including,  the  oil  field.  The  dome  then  merges 
into  the  syncline.  The  structure  of  the  coal  is  further  shown  by  the  use 
of  profile  lines  and  cross-sections  A-A'  and  B-B'. 

Profiles  are  lines  drawn  between  prominent  points  on  the  contour 
map,  in  such  a  position  that  they  are  right  angles  to  the  dip.  They  por- 
tray graphically  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  coal  and  are  intended  to  make 
clearer  the  mental  picture  of  the  contour  idea  to  those  who  are  not 
familar  with  contouring.  A  brief  explanation  is  given  herewith  of 
each  profile : 

1.  Profile  No.  1  shows  the  projection  of  the  coal  contours  to  a  cross- 
section  sheet  from  the  Chandler  well  in  sec.  20,  T.  4  N.,  R.  1  E.,  to  the 
Oglesby  well  in  sec.  20,  T.  4  N.,  R.  2  E. 

2.  Profile  No.  2  is  drawn  from  the  -50-foot  contour  on  the  middle  of  the 
north  line  of  sec.  24,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  W.,  to  the  -200-foot  contour  in  the 
middle  of  the  south  line  of  sec.  12,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  E. 

3.  Profile  No.  3  is  drawn  from  the  -100-foot  contour  on  the  middle  of  the 
east  line  of  sec.  25,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  W.,  to  the  Bundy  well  in  the  N.  E.  14  S.  E.  14 
sec.  36,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  E. 

4.  Profile  No.  4  is  drawn  from  the  -150-foot  contour  on  the  middle  of  the 
east  line  of  sec  .36,  T.  3  N.,  R.  1  W.,  to  the  Brown  well  in  the  N.  E.  14  N. 
W.  14  sec.  16,  T.  1  N.,  R.  1  E. 

5.  Profile  No.  5  is  constructed  from  the  -175-foot  contour  on  the  middle 
of  the  east  line  of  sec.  12,  T.  1  N.,  R.  1  W.,  to  the  -200-foot  contour  line  im- 
mediately east  of  the  Cannon  well  in  the  S.  W.  14  S.  E.  %  sec.  35,  T.  3  N., 
R.  1  E. 

The  dip  of  the  coal  along  cross-sections  A-A'  and  B-B'  is  described 
in  detail  in  order  to  contribute  to  the  understanding  of  the  contouj- 
map.  They  show  that  the  coal  lies  essentially  parallel  to  the  lower  forma- 
tions and  particularly  to  the  Benoist  sand.  They  also  indicate  that 
from  a  knowledge  of  the  position  of  the  coal  and  the  approximate  inter- 
val between  it  and  the  lower  sands  the  general  position  of  the  present 
productive  sands  can  be  calculated. 

In  cross-section  A-A',  the  dip  of  the  coal  from  the  mine  at  map  num- 
ber 45  to  No.  43  is  about  75  feet  in  1  mile.  The  dip  from  No.  45  to  No. 
40  is  about  44  feet  per  mile.  A  sharp  decline  is  noticeable  between  No. 
40  and  No.  39.  This  slope  is  not  regular  but  is  due  almost  entirely  to 
a  fault  that  exists  between  these  mines.  A  noticeable  rise  takes  place 
in  the  coal  from  map  number  39  to  No.  31  while  from  No.  31  to  No. 
27  there  is  a  decided  dip  thus  describing  an  arch  with  No.  31  near  the 
crest.  This  arch  corresponds  to  the  "lay^^  of  the  coal  shown  upon  the 
contour  map.  The  rise  from  No.  39  to  No.  31  is  87  feet  in  3  miles  or 
29  feet  per  mile.  The  decline  from  No.  31  to  No.  27  is  57  feet  in  II/2 
miles  or  at  the  rate  of  34  feet  per  mile.  A  mild  syncline  is  shown  be- 
tween No.  31  and  No.  28  while  from  No.  28  to  No.  5  a  distinct  anti- 
clinal arch  is  described.  No.  27  marks  the  bottom  of  the  syncline,  and 
No.  10  lies  at  the  crest  of  the  arch.     The  rise  of  the  coal  from  No.  27 


BLAT(\HLEYj  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOUKCES.  143 

to  'No.  10  is  77  feet  inli/2  miles.  The  dip  of  the  coal  to  the  north  side 
of  the  arch  from  No.  10  to  Xo.  5  is  56  feet  in  li^  miles.  The  further 
dip  from  Xo.  5  to  Xo.  4  is  105  feet  in  21/2  miles  or  42  feet  per  mile. 
A  wide  and  gentle  syncline  is  shown  in  the  coal  from  Xo.  5  to  Xo.  1, 
with  Xo.  4  near  the  bottom  of  the  trough.  The  rise  from  Xo.  4  to  Xo.  1 
is  71  feet  in  5  miles  or  about  14  feet  per  mile.  Two  conspicuous  arches 
are  thus  described  upon  this  section  with  their  crests  lying  at  Xo.  31 
and  Xo.  10  respectively. 

In  section  B-B'  the  coal  rises  17  feet  in  2  miles  from  Xo.  25  to  Xo. 
24.  The  coal  is  flat  from  Xo.  24  to  Xo.  10  and  from  thence  it  dips  44 
feet  to  Xo.  23  in  a  distance  of  less  V2  mile.  This  is  followed  by  a  mild 
rise  from  Xo.  12  to  Xo.  13  and  a  gradual  dip  of  79  feet  in  about  2I/2 
miles  from  Xo.  13  to  Xo.  7.  The  Stein  sand  varies  in  parallelism 
to  the  coal^  while  the  Benoist  sand  follows  the  coal  very  closely. 

The  Stein  sand  shows  a  continuous  rise  of  54  feet  in  ahout  3  miles 
from  Xo.  25  to  Xo.  12  and  from  thence  dips  rapidly.  It  rises  from  Xo. 
23  to  Xo.  12  whereas  the  coal  dips  between  these  wells. 

The  Benoist  sand  rises  60  feet  from  well  Xo.  25  to  Xo.  24  in  a  dis- 
tance of  about  2  miles.  It  then  dips  17  feet  from  Xo.  24  to  Xo.  23  and 
rises  11  feet  from  Xo.  23  to  Xo.  12.  A  second  dip  of  32  feet  takes 
place  from  Xo.  12  to  Xo.  13  and  from  thence  the  sand  dips  very  gradu- 
ally to  the  east.  The  structure  along  this  section  is  noteworthy  because 
of  the  arch  described  between  the  extreme  wells  of  the  section.  The 
Sandoval  gas  area  lies  between  Xo.  24  and  Xo.  23,  toward  the  crest  of 
this  arch.  It  has  been  stated  that  Coal  Xo.  6  and  the  Sandoval  oil 
sands  are  approximately  parallel.  From  the  table  considerable  variation 
in  interval  is  noticed  but  it  is  irregular  in  occurrence. 

SPECIAL  FEATURES  AFFECTING  OIL  AND  GAS  ACCUMULATION. 

Two  other  special  features  affecting  oil  and  gas  accumulation  are  of 
importance  in  Marion  County  in  addition  to  that  of  rock  structure. 
The  first  is  that  of  the  relation  of  the  gas,  oil,  and  salt  water  to  the 
rock  folds,  and  the  second,  faulting. 

Practically  all  of  the  wells  drilled  to  date  show  large  quantities  of  salt 
water  in  the  sands  that  are  passed  through.  Those  that  have  been 
found  productive  of  oil  and  gas,  namely  the  Benoist  and  Stein  sands, 
show  a  large  degree  of  saturation,  especially  in  those  wells  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  oil  field.  The  wells  at  map  numbers  1,  3,  4,  7,  10,  11,  25 
and  35  show  an  abundance  of  water  and  suggest  the  part  it  played  in 
the  accumulation  of  oil  on  the  local  dome.  The  salt  water  probably  was 
the  agency  by  which  the  lighter  oil  and  gas  of  a  large  collecting  area 
moved  upward  to  the  top  of  the  dome  or  of  local  arches  and  porous 
sands.  If  the  structure  to  the  west  of  Centralia  is  that  of  a  terrace, 
as  the  map  would  indicate,  it  may  likewise  be  an  area  of  oil  concentra- 
tion. 

The  general  cross-section  A-A  (PI.  7)  indicates  a  general  westward 
rise  of  the  rocks  west  of  thi's  area  and  hence  within  the  influence  of 


144 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL,   NO.  16 


this  rise.  The  saturation  of  the  sands  with  water  would  cause  oil  and 
gas  to  move  away  from  the  Sandoval  dome  westward.  The  relations 
are  shown  in  figure  1. 


West. 


1 — ■                  . ,             sSurface. 

'~~'^~~*"-^«-ijl',i7^T^V^7^^^'~="^"-^-,      'Saltwater                                                        ^^^^ 

'''^■^*^^^C*:;j^T^^^T^^*="?=^P5J?^^                                          ^^^ 

X  X  X  -  0  -  /                                       °                          A  ^^<t^>^.„^^ 

Condition     of  Oil   and  G  a^  Ace  u  mu  lotion  in  Marion  Co- 

East. 


Fig.  1.    Sketch  of  condition  of  oil  and  gas  accumulation  in  Marion  Comity. 


The  conditions  at  Sandoval  indicate  a  thinning  of  the  sand  to  the  east 
as  the  dome  merges  into  the  steep  synclinal  structure,  so  that  from 
this  point  "A'^  eastward  the  sand  is  perhaps  saturated  with  water  and 
devoid  of  oil  for  some  distance.  The  oil  originally  east  of  "A"  has  risen 
through  salt  water  until  checked  by  the  flat  terrace  and  local  dome 
from  '^A^''  to  "B";  from  "B"  westward  there  is  a  continued  saturation  of 
the  sand  with  water  which  has  permitted  any  oil  or  gas  formerly  present 
to  move  up  the  incline,  perhaps,  until  checked  at  some  other  point  with 
conditions  similar  to  the  Sandoval  structure. 

The  faulting  of  rocks  is  important  in  the  Marion  County  fields  from 
two  points  of  view;  first,  that  it  was  indirectly  the  cause  of  oil  devel- 
opment ;  and  second,  that  it  was  a  source  of  escape  for  an  accumulated 
pool. 

Early  mention  was  made  in  this  report  of  the  finding  of  oil  in  a  mine  in 
sec.  30,  T.  2  N.,  R.  1  W.  The  oil  was  discovered  to  be  seeping  into  the 
mine  through  a  fault.  Mr.  Jon  Udden  of  the  State  Geological  Survey 
visited  the  mine  in  the  summer  of  1908  and  reported  that  the  fault 
had  a  northeast-southwest  direction  and  was  located  200  to  300  feet  east 
of  the  main  shaft.  It  was  difficult  to  determine  whether  the  seepage 
was  from  above  or  below.  It  was  thought  at  the  time  that  it  was  from 
below,  but  later  in  the  year  Mr.  David  White  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


145 


Survey  visited  tiie  mine  and  expressed  the  thought  that  the  seep  was 
downward.  This  latter  condition  is  thought  by  the  writer  to  be  cor- 
rect and  is  based  upon  the  following  calculations : 

The  sand  in  well  No.  32  was  found  at  a  depth  of  561  feet  or  67  feet 
below  sea  level.  Tlie  coal  was  found  at  a  depth  of  544  feet.  The  coal 
at  the  mine  shaft  in  sec.  30  lies  at  a  depth  of  600  feet  or  90  feet  below 
sea  level.  The  sand  in  No.  32  was  higher  than  the  coal  in  the  Marion 
Coal  Company's  mine,  by  23  feet  or  in  other  words  there  is  a  drop 
of  that  much  from  the  sand  to.  the  coal  in  approximately!/^  niile.  Aside 
from  the  influence  of  the  fault  there  is  probably  a  west  dip  from  No.  32 ; 
there  would  be  a  tendency  then  for  the  oil  to  follow  the  dip  of  the 
sand.  When  the  oil  reached  the  break  or  fault  it  seeped  through  minute 
fissures  and  eventually  found  its  way  do^vnward  into  the  mine.  The 
cause  of  the  seepage  is  shown  by  the  following  illustration  (Fig.  2). 


fau  It  and  oil  seepage  in 

</ec  JO  ond  29 


Fig.  2.    Sketch  of  fault  and  oil  seep  In  Marion  County. 

A  similar  faulting  in  the  coal,  but  without  the  seep,  is  reported  in 
mines  3  and  4  of  the  Centralia  Coal  Company,  both  located  in  the 
citv  of  Centralia  in  sec.  7,  T.  1  N.,  R.  1  E.    The  fault  seems  to  divide  the 


—10  G 


14()  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

two  mines,  No.  3  being  on  the  up-tlirow  and  No.  4  on  the  down-throw 
side  of  the  break.  The  entries  in  both  mines  are  worked  up  to  the 
wall. 

PROSPECTIVE    TERRITORY. 

The  present  active  oil  field  near  Sandoval  seems  to  be  bounded  by 
the-1 25-foot  coal  contour  (PI.  14),  and  the  best  chance  to  develop  that 
field  further  lies  within  or  shortly  beyond  that  line.  Of  the  territory 
outlined  by  the-1 2 5-foot  contour,  the  most  promising  area  is  at  the 
crest  of  the  dome-like  structure  in  sec.  29,  T.  2  N.,  E.  1  E.  The  shal- 
low sands  in  this  vicinity  have  already  produced  oil  and  the  lower  sands 
should  be  promising  so  far  as  the  structural  relations  have  value.  The 
oil  horizon  east  of  Ccntralia  lies  outside  of  the-125-foot  contour.  This 
area  is  prospective. 

^J'he  similarity  of  the  structure  at  Central ia  to  that  at  Duquoin  leads 
to  the  conclusion  that  a  structural  terrace  exists  slightly  to  the  west  of 
Centralia.  This  general  condition  is  indicated  by  Plate  6,  hence  it 
offers  prospective  territory  similar  to  that  discussed  on  page  169.  The 
same  terrace  feature  is  present  at  Brownstown,  about  27  miles  northeast 
of  Sandoval,  and,  therefore,  appears  to  be  continuous  through  Fayette, 
Marion,  Washington,  and  Perry  counties,  with  the  Sandoval  dome  as 
an  irregular  portion  of  it.  The  area  to  the  north  of  the  Sandoval  field, 
while  discredited  by  dry  wells  at  the  present  time,  should  not  be  per- 
manently condemned  but  should  be  tested  further  to  the  northwest  of 
the  present  field  and  in  a  north-south  direction  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Brownstown. 

Randolph  County. 

location  and  history  of  the  field. 

The  Randolph  County  oil  and  gas  developments  center  in  the  vicinity 
of  Sparta;  the  gas  area  within  the  town  itself,  and  the  oil  area,  about 
one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  northeast  limits  of  town.  There  have  been 
two  distinct  periods  of  development;  first,  beginning  in  1888,  and  sec- 
ond, in  1906. 

The  gas  field  was  opened  up  as  tlic  result  of  an  effort  of  the  citi- 
zens of  Sparta  to  enliven  the  business  of  the  locality  and  to  boom  the 
town.  Upon  June  8,  1888,  the  wild-cat  bore  reached  a  sand  which 
unexpectedly  yielded  a  large  pressure  of  gas.  The  gas  was  allowed  to 
run  free  owing  to  the  lack  of  facilities  of  taking  care  of  it,  but  in  the 
course  of  a  few  days,  when  mains  were  laid,  it  was  successfully  used 
by  the  town.  Several  wells  were  drilled  within  a  short  time  in  different 
parts  of  Sparta  and  by  August,  1894,  22  wells  had  been  put  down  and 
over  12  had  been  productive  of  gas.  The  records  make  no  mention  of 
finding  oil  in  any  of  the  wells,  but  five  of  them  showed  initial  gas 
pressures  of  about  200  pounds.  Drilling  ceased  after  about  1894,  when 
the  strength  of  the  gas  well  seemed  to  be  dwindling. 

The  oil  field  resulted  from  the  second  period  of  development.  Early 
in  1906,  J.   J.  Hoblitzell  <fe  Son,  after  locating  oil   in   Clark  County, 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES 


147 


began  drilling  near  Sparta  and  completed  several  wells  which  yielded 
small  quantities  of  oil.  Sixteen  wells  were  drilled  up  to  the  later 
]iart  of  1908.  Of  these  only  six  yielded  oil,  and  onlv  two  gave  commer- 
cial quantities.     At  the  present  time  the  field  is  almost  abandoned. 

GEOLOGY  or  THE  AREA, 

Earlier  attempts  have  been  made  to  determine  the  geology  of  the 
vicinity  of  Sparta,  especially  by  Prof.  J.  M.  Xickles^  who  made  a  study 
of  the  gas  area.  He  concluded  that  the  most  accurate  records  were 
those  of  wells  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  5,  and  8,  and  compared  and  identified  the 
rocks  of  these  wells,  paying  special  attention  to  the  Belleville  limestone, 
to  coals  of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks,  or  "Coal  Measures,"  and  to  the  lime- 
stone and  gas  sands  of  the  Chester  formations  of  the  Mississippian 
series.  He  also  prepared  a  table  of  stratigraphical  intervals  between 
these  formations. 

In  the  present  study  of  the  geology  several  of  Prof.  Nickles'  records 
are  used,  but,  in  addition,  information  from  the  coal  mines  and  the 
records  of  later  wells,  drilled  between  1894  and  1908.  The  two  cross- 
sections  (Pis.  15  and  16),  show  the  stratigraphy  of  the  locality,  and 
the  general  character  of  the  dip  or  structure.  The  dip  is  also  shown 
by  the  contour  map  which  presents  the  position  of  Coal  Xo.  6.     (PI.  17.) 

Sparta  Cross-section,  A- A' — This  section  lies  along  a  line  between 
Schulines,  Sparta,  and  Coulterville,  and  is  based  on  the  following 
records  of  mines  and  deep  wells.  Where  only  the  depth  of  the  Xo.  6 
coal  is  used,  reference  is  made  to  the  table  given  on  page  155.  The 
table  also  includes  all  surface  elevations.  Eecords  of  wells  Xos.  12,  13. 
14,  and  15  were  published  by  Prof.  J.  M.  Xickles  in  the  report  already 
cited. 


(No.  26). 
(No.  12). 

See  Table. 
Sparta  gas  ivell  No.  2. 

• 

Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
Feet. 

Drift 

57 

4 

3 

25 

12 

6 

2 

20 

12 

8 

4 

15 

200 

20 

40 

20 

25 

22 
10 

57 

Limestone 

61 

Coal  (No.  7?) 

64 

Slate 

89 

Limestone 

101 

Coal  (No  6) 

107 

Fire  rlay 

109 

Clay  shale .... 

129 

Limestone 

141 

Slate 

149 

Coal  (No  3'') 

153 

Clay  shale  . . 

168 

Sandstone 

368 

Clay  shale... 

388 

Limestone 

428 

Slate  .      . 

448 

Sandstone .... 

473 

Caving  soapstone  

488 

Limestone .                 .                              

552 

Shale 

574 

Sandstone 

584 

'Report  of  the  Illinois  Board  of  World's  Fair  Commissioners,  1893,  (pages  183  to  205.) 


148 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Spmta  gas  well  No.  2 — Concluded. 


[BULL.  NO.  k; 


* 

Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Slate 

20 
10 
16 
15 
10 
20 
38 
67 
20 
22 

5 

6 
21 
14 
48 

4 
40 
18 
16 

5 
11 

2 
13 

604 

Limestone 

614 

Conglomerate 

630 

Caving  red  rock 

645 

Slate 

655 

Limestone 

675 

Sandstone 

713 

Clay  shale 

780 

Limestone 

Clay  shale 

800 

822 

Sandstone  (gas  sand) 

827 

Dark  gray  stone 

833 

siatel :. :::::::::::.:::::::;;:;:: : 

854 

Limestone 

868 

Shale 

916 

Limestone 

920 

Red  slate 

960 

White  sandstone 

978 

Red  slate 

994 

Limestone 

999 

Red  sandstone 

1,010 

Red  slate 

1,012 

Sand  (salt  water) 

1 ,  025 

(No.  13), 
(No.  14). 


See  Table. 
Sparta  gas  well  No.  S. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
Feet. 

Drift • 

36 

34 

14 

35 

5 

6 

8 

4 

4 

14 

10 

14 

4 

38 

5 

29 

120 

10 

20 

15 

80 

15 

25 

30 

15 

30 

65 

32 

28 

55 

45 

7 

6 

16 

41 

7 

4 

4 

15 

3 

36 

Clay  and  soft  stone                     '                                                                        .  

70 

84 

Shale 

119 

Coal  (No.  6) ■ 

124 

Firg  cla  y  and  shale 

130 

Limestone 

138 

Slate 

142 

Coal  (No.  4) 

146 

Slate 

160 

Limestone                                                                                                

170 

Black  slate 

184 

Coal  (No.  3?) 

188 

Shale 

226 

Coal  (No.  2?) 

231 
260 

Sandstone 

380 

390 

Slate 

410 

425 

Slate 

505 

Limestone                                                                                                     

520 

Slate 

545 

Sandstone                                                                                                     

575 

Slate 

690 

Limestone     .                                                                                         

620 

Soft  shale 

685 

Limestone .                                                             

717 

Sandstone 

745 

Light  shale       .   .             .                                                                               

800 

845 

Sandstone                                                                                                      

852 

Shale 

858 

874 

Slate                                                                                                             

915 

922 

Limestone                                                                                

926 

930 

Limestone                                                                       

945 

948 

BLATCHLE Vj 
(No.   10). 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


Hoblitzell  oil  well.     Fcste)-  No.  1. 


149 


Thickness. 
Feet. 

Depth 

—Feet. 

From. 

To. 

Sand 

20 
15 

5? 
5 

120 
50 

125 
60 
75 
20 

135 
50 
40 
10 

90 
125 
140 
146 
200 
205 
325 
375 
500 
560 
635 
655 
790 
840 
880 
890 
895 
902 
902 
907 
929 
936 

110 

Lime 

140 

Coal  (No.  6) 

146 

Slate,  shale 

200 

Coal  (No.  4) 

205 

Limestone  shells— shale 

Sand  and  lime 

325 
375 

Lime  and  slate 

500 

Lime... 

560 

Slate — shale  cave 

635 

Lime 

655 

Lime  shells— slate 

White  slate : 

790 
840 

Red  rock 

880 

Black  slate 

890 

Oil  sand. . 

Showing  of  oil 

Bottom  of  sand 

Slate 

5 
22 

7 
12 

907 

Top  of  second  sand— lime 

Red  rock 

929 
936 

Third  sand— lime 

948 

(No.  9), 
(No.  5). 


See   Table. 
Coulterville  oil  test.     Near  union  depot. 


Drift 

Slate 

Soapstone 

Black  slate 

Soapstone 

Slate 

Soapstone 

Slate 

Limestone 

Coal 

Soapstone 

Slate 

Black  slate 

Coal 

Slate 

Limestone 

Black  slate 

Limestone 

White  slate 

Limestone 

White  slate 

Limestone 

Soapstone 

Brown  slate 

White  sand  (fresh  waters 

Slate '. 

Sand 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

Limestone 

Slate 

Red  rock 

Limestone 

Red  rock 

Limestone 

Slate 

Red  slate 

White  sand  (salt  water). 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
Feet. 

30 
50 
20 
40 
15 
45 
20 
75 
15 

7 
30 
25 
23 

8 
20 

7 
10 

5 
20 
10 
25 
20 
15 
20 
55 
40 
215 
10 
10 
15 
20 
40 
in 

30 

80 

100 

140 

155 

200 

220 

295 

310 

317 

347 

372 

385 

393 

413 

420 

430 

435 

455 

465 

490 
510 

525 

545 

600 

640 

855 

865 

875 

890 

910 

950 

Qfin 

1,000 
1,030 
1,050 
1,075 
1,100 
1,117 


150 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


(No.  G.; 


See  Table. 


Sparta  Cross-section,  B-B' . — This  cross-section  was  drawn  from  Tilden 
through  the  eastern  side  of  Sparta  and  past  the  Wilson  well  in  section 
7.  The  records  that  make  up  the  section  are  given  below.  Eeference 
is  made  to  those  already  given  in  cross-section  A-A'  and  to  the  mine 
notes  given  in  the  table  (p.  155). 


(No.  25) 


Zahniser  Oil  Company.     M.  Wilson  Well  No.  1. 


Depth- 
Feet. 

Coal  (No.  6) 

90 

Top  of  the  sand 

800 

Gas,  show  of 

815 

Salt  water 

830 

(No.   24). 


M.  McClurkin  well. 


Thickness 
Feet.    * 

Depth 
Feet. 

Soil 

15 

93 

12 

4 

11 

10 

27 

6 

2 

3 

4 

20 

20 

13 

6 

75 

50 

7 

19 
11 
13 
55 
24 
40 
10 
15 
25 
8 
10 
12 
3 
7 
22 
5 
17 
10 
15 
10 
16 
10 
45 
45 
10 
10 
2 
22 

15 

Slate 

108 

Lime  (hard) 

120 

Coal  (No.  6) 

124 

Lime .                                                              

135 

Slate 

145 

Lime 

172 

Coal 

178 

Fire  clay                                                                                          

180 

Lime 

183 

Coal..             . 

187 

Lime 

207 

White  slate                                                                                                     .  ... 

227 

Slate 

240 

Coal 

246 

Very  gritty  slate                                                                             

321 

Sharp  sand 

371 

Lime 

378 

Slate 

397 

Lime   

408 

Slate 

421 

Sand  (water)                                                                                        

476 

Slate 

500 

Lime                                                                                                                 

540 

White  slate 

550 

Shale                                                                                                                      

565 

Black  slate .            

590 

Lime                                                                                                                     

598 

Sand 

608 

Slate                                                                                                                       

620 

623 

Slate 

630 

Lime... 

652 

Slate 

657 

Lime       

674 

Slate                                                                                                                  

684 

699 

Red  rock                                                                                                

709 

725 

Shale                                                                                                 

735 

780 

Shale                                                                                            

825 

835 

Shale                                                                                         

845 

847 

White  slate 

869 

BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 

M.  McGlurkin  well — Concluded. 


151 


I 

Gas  sand 

Shale , 

Much  water  at 

Casing,  SJ  inch 

Casing,  6J  inch 

Casing,  5\  inch i 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

31 
3 

900 
903 
460 

■ 

75 

485 

840 

(No.    16). 


Sparta  gas  well  No.  3. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth 
Feet. 

Drift 

99 
10 

2 
11 

2 

1 

17 
6 
2 
3 
4 
40 
13 
26 
2 
117 
3 

1^ 
11 
13 
61 
17 
16 
14 
22 
31 
2 

1.3 

5 

15 

15 

24 

5 

22 

8 

7 

13 

15 

3 

53 

41 

11 

16 

4 

11 

5 

9 

4 

2 

5 

99 

Limestone      

109 

Coal  (No.  7?) 

Limestone 

111 
122 

Clay  shale     

124 

Sandstone 

127 

Slate      

132 

Limestone  

149 

Coal  (No.  6)            

155 

Fire  clay 

157 

Limestone     

160 

Coal  (No.  5) 

164 

Limestone 

204 

Shale 

217 

Limestone 

243 

Coal  (No.  2? ) 

Sandstone 

245 
362 

Shale 

365 

Limestone 

372 

Slate     

391 

Limestone 

402 

Clay  shale 

415 

Sandstone 

476 

Slate 

493 

Limestone 

509 

Shale 

523 

Limestone  

545 

Shale 

Sandstone        

578 

Clay  shale 

585 

Limestone 

598 

Slate 

603 

Sandstone 

618 

Slate 

633 

Limestone 

657 

Shale 

662 

Limestone 

684 

Slate 

692 

Sandstone 

699 

Red  rock 

712 

Limestone 

727 

Slate 

730 

Limestone 

783 

Slate .                                     "• 

824 

Limestone 

835 

Shale 

851 

Sandstone 

855 

Shale 

866 

Sandstone 

871 

Slate 

880 

Sandstone 

884 

Slate 

886 

Sandstone 

891 

152 

(No.  18). 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


Sparta  gas  well  No.  5. 


Tbull.  no.  16 


Drift 

Limestone . . . 
Coal  (No.  7?) . 
Limestone . . . 
Clay  shale . . . 
Sandstone . . . 

Slate 

Limestone . . . 
Coal  (No.  6). 

Fire  clay 

Limestone . . . 
Coal  (No.  5) . . 
Limestone . . . 
Black  slate . . 
Limestone . . . 
Coal  (No.  2?) . 

Slate 

Limestone . . . 
Coal  (Local) . 

Fire  clay 

Limestone . . . 

Slate  

Limestone . . . 
Slate 


Sandstone . . 

Slate 

Limestone . . 

Slate 

Limestone . . 
Caving  slate . 
Limestone . . 
Black  slate . . 
Limestone . . 
Slate 


Limestone . 

Shale 

Sandstone . 
Clay  shale . 
Limestone . 
Clay  shale . 
Sandstone . 

Slate 

Limestone . 

Shale 

Sandstone . 
Red  slate . . 
Limestone . 

Slate 

Limestone . 
Soft  shale.. 
Limestone . 
Slate . 


Sandstone  (gas  sand-Nickles) 

Caving  slate 

Red  slate 

Limestone - 

Sandstone 

Slate - 


Limestone 

Red  rock 

Limestone 

Sandstone  (salt  water)  (gas  jand?— Blatchley) 


Thickness 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Feet. 

116 

116 

10 

126 

2 

128 

11 

139 

2 

141 

3 

144 

5 

149 

17 

166 

6 

172 

2 

174 

10 

184 

4 

188 

40 

228 

13 

241 

26 

267 

2 

269 

10 

279 

2 

281 

5 

286 

3 

289 

6 

295 

30 

325 

20 

345 

2 

347 

80 

427 

3 

430 

7 

437 

19 

456 

11 

467 

60 

527 

3 

530 

17 

547 

16 

563 

14 

577 

22 

599 

31 

630 

2 

632 

10 

642 

13 

655 

20 

675 

15 

690 

10 

700 

22 

722 

8 

730 

7 

737 

15 

752 

16 

768 

3 

771 

53 

824 

41 

865 

13 

878 

16 

894 

5 

899 

11 

910 

16 

926 

4 

930 

15 

945 

8 

953 

14 

967 

8 

975 

4 

979 

2 

981 

(No.  10), 


Given  under  A — A'  section. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES.  158 

(No.  8.) 

Zahniser  Oil  Company.     (Lyons  No.  2  well.) 


Thickness      Depth- 
Feet,  leet. 


Coal  (No.  6) 

Sand 

Slate 

Sandy  lime . 


145 
895 
930 
949 


No  oil  or  gas. 
(No.    3). 


See  Table. 


Stratigraphy. — The  stratigraphy  of  the  area  as  determined  by  Nickles, 
and  supplemented  by  new  data,  includes  a  surface  covering  of  drift 
which  hides  the  hard  rocks.  It  consists  of  sand^  clay,  gravel,  and  bowl- 
ders in  a  bed  of  varying  thickness  and,  locally,  measuring  at  least  120 
feet.  Beneath  this,  in  order,  occur  the  Pennsylvanian  or  "Coal  Meas- 
ures" rocks  and  the  Chester  formations  at  the  top  of  the  Mississippian 
rocks. 

The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  include  an  upper  portion  characterized  by 
the  presence  of  coal  and  limestones  with  a  predominant  amount  of 
shale.  The  portion  next  below  this  is  conspicuous  for  its  thick  massive 
sandstones  of  Pottsville  age.  There  is  considerable  variation  in  the 
character  and  thickness  of  the  several  formations.  Thus,  the  upper  part 
of  the  Pennsylvanian  at  Sparta  may  be  about  320  feet  thick  and  contain 
four  distinct  coals,  the  second  of  which,  from  the  top,  is  the  wide-spread 
Xo.  6  bed.  At  Coulterville,  by  contrast,  the  upper  Pennsylvanian 
rocks  are  550  feet  thick  and  include,  according  to  reports,  only  two 
coals.  Similarly,  the  Pottsville  rocks  at  Sparta  average  about  120  feet 
thick,  but  towards  the  northeast  they  thicken  until  they  measure  at 
least  220  feet  at  Coulterville.  Indeed,  Nickles  considers  them  340  feet 
thick,  thus  including  higher  sandstones  and  shales  than  those  classi- 
fied as  Pottsville  on  Plate  9.  This  thickening  and  consequent  divergence 
of  the  formations  in  the  direction  of  the  center  of  the  Illinois  basin 
is  characteristic,  and  corroborates  the  evidence  of  the  main  cross-sec- 
tions presented  elsewhere.  Pennsylvanian  features  of  special  interest 
are  the  No.  6  coal  and  the  Pottsville  sandstones.  The  former  is  the  bed 
which  serves  as  a  key  rock  to  the  geology  of  much  of  the  State  and 
consequently  is  made  the  basis  for  the  structure  contours  of  the  Sparta 
field  and  of  other  areas.  The  sandstones  are  thought  to  be  approxi- 
mately identical  with  the  Buchanan  sand  of  the  main  oil  field. 

The  Chester  formations  next  underlying  the  Pennsylvanian  are  char- 
acterized by  the  abundance  of  limestone  interbedded  with  sandstone  and 
shale.  At  Sparta,  wells  penetrate  about  650  feet  of  the  formation  with- 
out reaching  its  base.  At  Coulterville,  however,  where  the  beds  lie 
deeper,  only  250  feet  of  the  Chester  has  been  penetrated.  The  top  of 
the  formation  is  unevenly  eroded,  so  that  the  upper  part  is  missing  at 


151  .   YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Coiilterville.  Of  special  importance  in  the  Chester  is  the  top  limestone, 
the  red  shales  occurring  lower  down,  and  the  oil  and  gas  sand  which  lies 
still  deeper. 

The  top  limestone  lies  about  380  feet  below  the  surface  or  about  250 
feet  below  Coal  No.  6.  It  occurs  either  immediately  beneath  the  Potts- 
ville  sandstone  or  separated  from  it  by  a  few  feet  of  shale.  This  same 
limestone  is  believed  to  be  present  in  several  logs  of  tlie  main  cross- 
sections. 

The  red  rocks  or  red  shales  are  conspicuous  horizon  markers  elsewhere 
in  the  State  as  well  as  here.  The  highest  red  bed  of  the  accompanying 
sections,  A-A'  and  B-B',  lies  about  640  feet  below  the  surface,  about 
525  feet  below  the  main  coal,  and  about  270  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
Chester  formations.  The  records  show  at  least  three  fairly  distinct 
red  rocks,  below  the  second  of  which  lies  the  gas  sand. 

The  sand  which  bears  oil  and  gas  at  Sparta  lies  from  about  800  to 
930  feet  below  the  surface,  710  to  760  feet  below  Coal  No.  6,  and  490 
to  530  feet  below  the  top  limestone  of  the  Chester.  It  most  frequently 
occurs  beneath  a  thick  red  shale.  The  table  on  page  155,  compiled  froui 
various  records,  shows  the  interval  between  the  Sparta  sand  and  Coal 
No-  6. 

Structure. — The  structure  or  dip  relations  of  the  rocks  is  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  Sparta  oil  accumulation,  as  will  be  shown  later. 
The  region  lies  along  the  southwestern  margin  of  the  Illinois  basin,  and 
the  prevailing  dip  is  to  the  northeast  at  the  rate  of  about  15  feet  per 
mile.  Section  C-C,  however,  which  passes  in  a  southeasterly  direction 
through  Coulterville,  indicates  that  a  minor  synclinal  fold  passes  from 
the  northeast  through  that  town  towards  Sparta.  This  is  a  trough-like 
wrinkle  on  the  southwestern  flank  of  the  large  basin,  and  at  right  angles 
to  the  main  strike  of  the  rocks,  but  it  is  well  defined  and  persistent,  as 
indicated  by  the  illustration  of  the  structure  of  the  Sparta  field.  (PI.  17.) 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOUKCES. 

nntn   frnw.  ir.PJJ.Q   nn/l.  ininpsi    nf   f.liP.    Rnnrta  nrP.n 


155 


Remarks. 


e  full  of  salt 
er 


duced  oil . 


le  gas,  rock 
ose  textured 
lever  used). 

)ni  gas 

rcelyanyga> 


iegas;sho-w- 
g  of  oil 


discrepancj' 

ndicated 
.nd  16). 
L  by  the 
has  been 
sentially 
ta  sand, 
lerefore, 
the  coal 
1  linder- 

:  at  map 
;  rate  of 


151  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Coultcrville 
the  red  shtL 
still  deeper, 

The  top 
feet  below  ' 
ville  sandsi 
limestone  i 
sections. 

The  red 
in  the  Stat 
sections,  A 
525  feet  Ix 
Chester  fo 
red  rocks, 

The  san< 
930  feet  b( 
to  530  feel 
occurs  bene 
various  re( 
No.  G. 

Structui 
portant  fa 
The  regior 
the  prevai 
mile.  Sec 
through  C 
the  northe  . 
wrinkle  on 
to  the  mai 
indicated  1 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES. 


155 


Data  from  wells  and  mines  of  the  Sparta  area. 


Name. 


Well  or  mine. 


Location. 


Coal 
No.  6. 


Remarks. 


Jones  Bros.  Coal  & 
Mining  Co 

Bessemer  Washed  C. 
Co 

Bessemer  Washed  C. 
Co 

West  Mine  Coal  Co . . 

Coulterville  well 

Randolph  Co.  C.  Co. 

John  Lyons  well 

Lyons  well 

T.  B.   Stephenson 

well 

John  Foster  well 

Chas.  Mcllroy  well .  . 

Old  gas  well 

Boyd  Coal   &   Coke 

Co.,  mine 

Old  gas  well 

J.  C.  Boyle  &  Sons.. 

Old  gas  well 

Wm.  Preston  well. . . 
Old  gas  well 

Collins  well 

Moffat  Coal  Co 

Thos.  McMillan  well. 
Valley  &  Gulf  C.  Co. 
A.  B.McMiUanwell. 

M.  McClurken  well.. 

M.  Wilson  well 

Schulines 

Kate  Clendennin  well 
Illinois  Fuel  Co 


Eureka  No.  1 
Tilden 


Crystal 
Consol. 
No.  1.. 


No.  1. 
No.  2 

No.  1 
No.  1. 
No.  1. 
No.  2 

No.l. 

No.  8 


Mine 

No.  3 

No.l 

No.  5 

No.  1 

Mine  1 

No.l 

Thompson . 
No.  1 

No.  1 

No.l 

No.  3 

No.l 

Mine  No.  4. 


N.W 

s.w. 

s.w. 

N.E.. 
Depot 

N.E.. 
S.W.. 
S.W.. 

N.W. 
S.W.. 
S.E.. 

S.W.. 


N.W. 
S.E.. 
S.W.. 


S.E. 
S.W. 


N.E. 


N.W.  N.W. 

S.W..  s.w. 

I 


N.W 
N.E. 


N.E. 

s.w. 


N.W, 
S.W.. 
S.E.. 

N.W. 
S.E.. 
S.W.. 
S.E.. 

S.W.. 
S.W.. 


N.W. 
S.E.. 
N.E.. 

N.E.. 

N.E.. 
N.E.. 
N.E.. 
N.W. 
S.E.. 


N.E. . 'N.E. . 
N.E. .'N.W. 
I 


5  530^ 
5  534 
5  530' 
5  497 
5  550 


5  535 
5]  540' 

6  550' 
6!  600' 
5'512 


120 

190 

217 
198 
317 

313 
160 
145 


1,100 


875 

900 
890 
900 
822 


845 


886 
870^ 
894? 
930? 


855 


823 


800 


825 


783 


720 
730 

714 
744 
750 
715 


719 


731 

690 
722? 

758? 
762 


723 
'763' 


749 
710 


710 


Hole  full  of  salt 
water 


Produced  oil . 
No  gas 


Some  gas,  rock 
close  textured 
(.never  used). 


btrong  gas 

Scarcely  any  gas 


Somegas;  show- 
ing of  oil  


^The  elevation  of  the  well  is  estimated  from  Rolfe's  Randolph  County  contour  map. 
'^The  depth  of  this  sand  was  reported  the  same  as  that  of  well  No.  24  but  there  is  an  apparent  discrepancy 
and  the  interval  is  questionable. 

The  detailed  structure  of  the  area  along  particular  lines  is  indicated 
by  the  accompanying  cross-sections  A- A'  and  B-B'  (Pis.  15  and  16). 
The  condition  of  the  whole  field  is  more  satisfactorily  shown  by  the 
contours  which  show  the  lie  of  the  No.  6  coal  (PL  17).  This  has  been 
constructed  from  the  data  of  the  table  above.  Coal  No.  6  lies  essentially 
parallel  to  the  lower  formations  and  particularly  to  the  Sparta  sand, 
except  as  noted  later.  An  understanding  of  the  lie  of  the  coal,  therefore; 
will  serve  also  for  the  general  position  of  the  sand.  The  dip  of  the  coal 
along  the  line  A-A'  may  be  described  in  detail  in  order  to  aid  in  under- 
standing the  contour  map. 

In  section  A-A'  the  dip  of  the  coal  from  the  Schulines  mine  at  map 
number  26  to  No.  10  is  about  85  feet  in  51/^  miles,  or  at  the  rate  of 


1^6  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

151/2  feet  per  mile.  From  No.  10  to  No.  6  at  Coulterville,  a  distance  of  6 
miles,  the  dip  is  148  feet,  or  24  feet  per  mile.  In  section  B-B'  the  dip 
of  the  coal  from  map  number  25,  south  of  Sparta,  to  No.  18  is  even  but 
rapid,  amounting  to  102  feet  in  11/2  miles,  or  to  G8  feet  per  mile.  No. 
18  marks  the  bottom  of  the  Sparta-Coulterville  syncline,  from  each 
side  of  which  there  is  a  decided  ascent.  The  rise  of  the  coal  from  No. 
18  to  No.  10  is  28  feet  in  less  than  1/2  mile;  from  No.  10  to  No.  8,  the 
rise  is  only  17  feet  in  one  mile;  and  from  the  last  location  to  No.  3, 
near  Tilden,  the  coal  dips  71  feet  in  41/2  miles.  It  has  been  said  that 
Coal  No.  6  and  the  Sparta  sand  are  approximately  parallel.  The  inter- 
val at  different  places  is  shown  in  the  table.  There  is  a  marked  diver- 
gence from  Sparta  to  Coulterville,  so  that  a  contour  map  based  on 
the  sand  itself,  instead  of  the  coal,  would  show  the  syncline  more  strongly 
developed. 

SPECIAL    FEATURES    AFFECTING    OIL    AND    GAS    ACCUMULATION. 

A  study  of  the  special  features  affecting  production  from  the  Sparta 
sand  includes  two  kinds  of  factors ;  first,  the  thickness  and  porosity  of 
the  sand ;  second,  the  relation  of  the  gas,  oil,  and  salt  water  to  the  rock 
folds. 

The  five  records  published  in  .detail  by  Nickles,  as  representative  of  the 
early  wells,  show  the  sand  7  feet  thick  in  one  well  and  only  5  feet  in  the 
others.  At  Coulterville,  map  No.  5,  the  sand  is  17  feet  thick.  Among 
the  new  records  of  the  cross-sections  the  sand  measures  12  feet  in  No. 
10,  20  feet  in  No.  8,  30  feet  in  No.  25,  and  31  feet  in  No.  24.  Although 
the  sand  appears  to  be  irregular  in  thickness,  and  locally  too  thin  to  act 
as  a  large  reservoir,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  many  of  the  wells  with  a 
5-foot  sand  produced  gas  for  a  number  of  years.  Variations  in  the 
porosity  of  the  sand  are  also  evident  from  the  data  published  by  Nickles. 
At  least  four  of  the  wells  which  were  favorably  located  were  unproductive 
because  of  the  non-porous  nature  of  the  sand.  This  fact  doubtless  ac- 
counts for  many  of  the  dry  holes  shown  on  the  contour  map. 

The  relation  of  the  water,  oil  and  gas  to  the  rock  structure  probablv 
conforms  to  the  theory  already  discussed  (p.  57),  except  as  modified 
by  variations  in  porosity  of  the  sand.  Unfortunately,  however,  notes  on 
the  occurrence  of  water  in  the  Sparta  sand  are  ver\^  incomplete.  Consid- 
ering the  wells  of  section  A-A',  however,  it  is  reported  that  the  sand 
at  Coulterville  is  full  of  salt  water.  The  sand  at  map  number  10,  at  a 
higher  elevation,  shows  oil;  while  at  No.  14,  still  higher,  gas  is  reported. 
No  information  is  available  about  water  in  these  last  wells.  Similarly, 
in  the  case  of  section  B-B',  no  information  is  at  hand  about  water  in 
the  sand  except  at  map  No.  25,  in  which  the  lower  part  of  the  sand  is  full 
of  water.  In  general,  it  appears  that  the  best  gas  wells  have  tapped  the 
sand  where  its  altitude  is  from  300  to  360  feet  below  sea  level,  and  that 
the  best  conditions  for  oil  are  at  a  slightly  lower  altitude.  Still  lower, 
wells  are  likelv  to  find  onlv  salt  water. 


LATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  15 

PROSPECTIVE   TERRITORY. 


156  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

j^^fi^'lt'P""™"*;.  J™"^  No.lOto  No.  6  at  CoulterviUe,  a  distance  of  6 

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BLATCHLEYJ  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  15 

PROSPECTIVE   TERRITORY. 

So  far  as  the  al)ove  tentative  conclusions  have  value^,  it  appears  that 
the  best  chance  to  find  more  oil  at  Sparta  is  to  follow  the  sand  where  its 
elevation  is  about  370  feet  below  sea  level,  as  it  is  in  well  Xo.  10.  If  the 
sand  were  exactly  parallel  to  Coal  No.  6  the  most  attractive  territory 
would  be  that  lying  along  the  37o-foot  contour  (PI.  17).  It  may  be 
seen,  however,  from  the  table  of  intervals  and  from  section  B-B',  that  the 
sand  and  coal  are  only  approximately  parallel.  This  fact,  too-ether  with 
the  variations  in  porosity,  doubtless  accounts  for  the  contradictory 
occurrence  along  the  375-foot  contour  of  oil  wells,  gas  wells,  and  dry 
holes.  The  territor}-  east  of  Sparta  in  the  west  half  of  section  5  and 
the  northwest  quarter  of  section  8  has  not  been  adequately  tested.  This 
area  lies  within  the  syncline,  in  a  similar  position  to  the  producing  wells, 
where  oil  accumulation  may  be  reasonably  presumed  to  focus.  The 
same  belt  may  be  followed  with  some  success  along  the  course  of  the  375- 
foot  contour  towards  Percy  or,  in  the  other  direction,  towards  mine  Xo. 
1,  west  of  Tilden.  It  should  be  noted  that  a  mechanical  error  has  been 
made  in  the  drafting  for  the  Tilden  area.  In  this  connection  referenct 
to  section  C-C  (PL  9)  is  helpful.  The  coal  rises  from  an  elevation  of 
295  feet  at  mine  No.  3,  to  326  feet  at  mine  No.  4,  and  to  322  feet  at  mine 
Xo.  2.  From  this  place  it  rises  to  its  highest  altitude,  of  approximately 
400  feet,  at  mine  Xo.  1,  and  then  dips  towards  Marissa.  The  400-  and 
350-foot  contours  between  Tilden  and  Sparta  are  not  located  precisely 
because  of  lack  of  data.  The  gentle  anticlinal  fold  passing  through  or 
near  mine  No.  4  is  worthy  of  mention;  its  dip  towards  Coiilterville  is 
much  steeper  than  that  towards  Tilden,  and  some  gas  or  oil  may  be  col- 
lected along  its  axis.  Similarly,  the  anticline  west  of  Tilden,  just  men- 
tioned, and  shown  on  section  C-C,  may  be  explored  in  a  south  or  southwest 
direction  with  some  hope  of  success.  It  seems  probable  that  this  Tilden 
arch  is  somewhat  parallel  to  the  Sparta  trough  and  that  the  best  pros- 
pective territory  for  gas  and  oil  lies  between  the  350-foot  contour  of  the 
Sparta  map  and  the  far  side  of  the  Tilden  arch,  whose  exact  location  is 
known  at  present  only  at  mine  Xo.  1.  west  of  Tilden. 

The  Tilden  and  Marissa  features  are  described  further  on  p.  169. 

The  Carlixville  Gas  Area. 

Several  wells  were  drilled  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1909  to  the 
south  of  Carlinville,  that  yielded  fair  pressure  of  gas  but  no  oil.  The 
gas  came,  mainly,  from  a  sandstone  immediately  above  the  Mississippian 
limestones,  and  in  some  instances  from  the  shale  that  covers  the  sand. 
The  horizon  seems  to  lie  near  the  base  of  the  Pottsville  formation. 

Data  were  not  available  to  study  or  contour  the  sand  over  a  wide  dis- 
trict, but  a  cross-section  is  presented  to  show  the  stratigraphy  and  the 
local  structure.     (PL  18.) 

The  section  A-B  is  made  up  of  the  following  records: 


158 

(No.  1) 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


IBUEL.   NO.  16 


Hammon  well. 
Location— S.  E.  14  sec.  28,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation— (estimated)   590  feet. 


Sandy  shale 

Sandstone 

Limestone 

Top  ofgas sand  (gas). 
Salt  water 


(No.  2). 

Haacker  well. 
Location-S.  W.  %  N.  W.  %  sec.  17,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W.,  Brushy  Mound  twp. 
Elevation— (estimated)   600  feet. 


Top  soil 

Quick  sand  and  gravel 
Blue  gumbo  clay 
White  slate 
Black  slate 
White  lime 
White  slate 
White  lime 
White  slate 
Limestone  and  slate 
Black  slate 
Gray  limestone 
White  slate 

Coal 

White  slate 

Brown  shale 

White  slate 

Brown  shale 

White  slate 

Black  slate . 

White  slate 

Limestone  shells 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

Black  shale  and  coal 

White  slate 

Black  shale 

Black  slate  (show  of  oil  392-410  feet) 

Sand  (oil  417).. 

Salt  water  (421) 

Total  (in  sand) 


3\\v 

«io. 

'     r   ! 

t, 

♦ 

«.*. 

V.'          i 

»\ 

« 

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< 

•    r 

t\ 

•V 

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f 

e\ 

^S. 

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m, 


snv^v^m^^  Y\c>rN<- 


S 


Sr\a\vX><\0'C       -■-' 


\\aC\ 


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BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES. 


159 


(No.  3). 


Klein  No.  2  well. 


Location— E.  1/2  N.  E.  %  sec.  18,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — (estimated)    560  feet. 


Thickness      Depth— 
—Feet.    I      Feet. 


SoU 

Sand 

Black  slate 

Gravel 

Black  gumbo 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

White  limestone 

Black  shale 

White  slate 

White  limestone 

White  slate 

Coal 

White  slate  — . 

Limestone  shale 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

Limestone  shale 

White  slate 

Black  shale 

Brown  limestone 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

White  slate 

Black  slate 

Shale  and  slate 

Black  slate 

Brown  shale 

White  slate 

Sand  and  limestone 

Salt  water,  sand  and  limestone 

Gray  limestone  (8-inch  casing  to  bottom) 

Black  shale 

White  limestone 

Broken  limestone 

Brown  limestone 

Sandy  limestone 

Salt  water  (hole  full) 

White  limestone 

Dark  sandy  limestone  and  coarse  sand 

Sandy  limestone 

Salt  sand  (little  water) 

Gray  limestone,  sandy 

Sand,  gray  (water) 

Brown  limestone 

Gray  limestone 

Sandy  limestone 

Gray  limestone  and  sand  (hole  full  of  water  at 

Gray-blue,  sandy  limestone 

Black  slate  and  pyrites 

Jjight-blue  limestone 

Gray  salt-sand  and  water 

Sandy  slate,  blue 

Coarse  sand  and  broken  white  limestone 

White  limestone 


•31). 


5 

5 

10 

15 

15 

30 

25 

55 

S5 

90 

25 

115 

5 

120 

20 

140 

7 

147 

13 

160 

7 

167 

3 

170 

5 

175 

5 

180 

10 

190 

5 

195 

25 

220 

30 

250 

5 

255 

50 

305 

10 

315 

4 

319 

21 

340 

5 

345 

5 

350 

15 

365 

15 

380 

5 

385 

5 

390 

50 

440 

25 

465 

38 

503 

12 

515 

5 

520 

20 

540 

5 

545 

5 

550 

79 

629 

5 

634 

6 

640 

17 

657 

21 

678 

23 

701 

5 

706 

10 

716 

5 

721 

10 

731 

19 

750 

34 

784 

27 

801 

9 

810 

10 

820 

50 

870 

5 

875 

5 

880 

160 

(No.  4), 


YEAR-BOOK   FOE    1909. 


Hall  No.  1  well. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Location— N.  W.  ^4  S.  W.  %,  sec.  8,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — (estimated)   560  feet. 


■ 

Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

• 
Soil .       . 

10 
10 
20 

5 

20 
7 
5 
13 
5 
2 
28 
8 

15 
5 
11 
76 
17 

10 

Sandy  mud 

20 

Gravel 

40 

Quick  sand  (water) .                                .                               

85 

White  slate 

110 

Black  shale 

115 

White  slate 

135 

White  limestone                                                                                      

142 

Black  shale 

147 

White  slate     .                                                                                         

160 

Coal 

165 

Brown  limestone                                                                                        

167 

White  slate 

195 

Brown  lime                                                                                                        

203 

208 

White  slate 

230 

Sand 

245 

White  slate 

285 

Black  slate                                                                                    

300 

Broken  limestone 

305 

White  slate                                                                                            

316 

Shale  (gas  373  and  oil  at  388)     

392 

Fine  sand                                                                                                      

409 

(No.  5). 


Klein  No.  1  well. 


Location— E.  1/2  S.  E.  %  sec.  7,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — (estimated)    590  feet. 


I  Thickness  l    Depth- 
— Feet.    I      Feet. 


Surface                                                                                         

5 

75 
15 
55 
15 
10 
25 
15 
65 
.  70 
31 

5 

Slate                                                                              

80 

Onifik"  <5nnH  nnrl  pta  vpI                                                                                                 

95 

150 

White  lime                                               -  -  -  - 

165 

Black  shale  and  gas                                                             

175 

Slate                                                              

200 

frflSSflTlfl    ('^\                                                                                                                                                           

215 

White  shale                                                          

280 

Shfllp  nnrl  limp  sViplls                                                                                         

350 

381 

(No.   6). 


Hall  No.  2  well. 


Location— W.  ^2  sec.  5,  T.  9  N.,  R.  7  W. 
Elevation — (estimated)   615  feet. 


Surface 

Soapstone 

10-inch  casing 

Slate 

White  lime 

Black  shale  and  coal 

Lime  shell 

White  slate 

Lime 


Thickness 
—Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

40 

38 

80 

137 

8 

10 

4 

6 

8 

40 

78 

215 

223 

233 

237 

243 

251 

BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOUKCES. 
Hall  No.  2  ivell — Concluded. 


161 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

White  slate 

1 

57 

8 

137 

10 

65 

156 

686 

5 

24 

20 

25 

13 

20 

5 

25 

15 
10 

892 
25 
48 

247 
10 
25 
50 
8 
87 

160 
45 
28 

290 

Coal                             .                

293 

White  slate 

350 

Brown  shale                       .          .        

358 

^Vhite  sandy  slate  or  soapstone 

495 

Gas  sand  (?)  coarse                             

505 

Soft  sand  salt  water 

570 

Lime,  sharp,  sandy,  hard  (fresh  water  at  700) 

726 

8-inch  casinfiT 

Salt  sand        .                                             .  .         

731 

755 

Water  sand  *                                            .                             

775 

800 

Mud  (broken  brown  lime)                                                                . .            

813 

833 

Lime  and  sand 

838 

Black  lime 

863 

Broken  lime 

870 

Brown  lime .            ...        

885 

Black  lime  (pyiites) 

895 

Gray  sand 

920 

Shale 

968 

Sandy  lime,  salt  water 

1,215 

Red-brown  lime .     .             

1,225 

Gray  lime 

1,250 

Light  slate .                                       

1,300 

Brown  lime 

1,308 

Black,  gritty,  slate .  . 

1,395 

Lime 

1,555 

Sand 

1.600 

Lime 

1,628 

Grit 

1,628 

The  section  develops  the  fact  that  a  mild  anticline  exists  in  the  Car- 
linville  gas  area  that  seems  to  have  a  northwest-southeast  trend  through 
well  No.  5.  This  well  marks  the  position  of  the  crest  of  the  fold.  The 
condition  suggests  a  mild  fold  or  wrinkle  located  on  the  western 
flank  of  the  Illinois  basin.  Gas  was  present  in  most  of  the  wells  but  the 
best  pressure  was  reported  in  well  Xo.  5.  This  would  be  the  situation 
of  greatest  collection  and  pressure.  The  correlations  of  the  gas  horizon 
are  somewhat  doubtful  because  of  the  lack  of  widespread  information  and 
the  estimation  of  the  elevations  of  the  wells  above  sea  level. 


Pre-carboxiferous  Oil  Areas. 

The  pre-Carboniferous  rocks  of  the  western  and  northern  portions 
of  the  State  offer  better  opportunity  for  prospecting  than  those  of  the 
southern  end,  in  that  these  regions  have  both  the  Xiagara  and  the  Galena- 
Trenton  limestones  present  in  considerable  thickness  and  especially  be- 
cause they  are  both  porous  dolomites.  The  necessar}'  impervious  covers 
to  the  porous  strata  are  the  prevailing  Kinderhook  and  Cincinnatian 
shales  lying  over  the  Xiagara  and  the  Trenton  limestones,  respectively. 
Any  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas  in  these  horizons  would  perhaps  be  re- 
tained and  the  remaining  essential  factor  to  its  discovery  is  the  position 
of  deformations. 
—11  G 


162  YEAR-BOOK    FOE    1909,  [bull.  no.  16 

A  reference  to  the  general  cross-section,  E-E  (PL  11),  reveals  the 
fact  that  oil  and  gas  were  found  in  the  Trenton  limestone  in  Illinois. 
In  the  Beardstown  well  or  record  No.  1,  the  Trenton  showed  both  oil 
and  gas,  but  at  the  time  that  the  well  was  drilled  these  products  were 
not  so  much  in  demand  and  they  were  passed  by  without  any  investiga- 
tion. Worthen^s  note  of  the  abundance  of  gas  and  the  occurrence  of  oil 
in  this  well  is  valuable. 

The  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas  in  the  Trenton  limestone  of  Indiana 
was  governed  by  a  broad  and  extensive  arch,  covering  the  greater  portion 
of  the  northeastern  part  of  the  State.  The  crest  of  the  wide  dome  lies 
well  toward  the  eastern  side  of  the  State,  while  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
arch  continues  into  Ohio.  The  oil  horizon  was  found  at  various  depths 
between  1,000  and  1,200  feet. 

It  is  known  from  the  meager  information  at  hand  of  the  upper  portion 
of  Illinois,  that  the  accumulating  structures  are  present  and  that  they 
would  invite  prospecting  in  the  Niagara  and  especially  in  the  Trenton. 
Arches  are  presumed  to  be  present  in  the  areas  east  and  west  of  the 
Illinois  Eiver  and  north  of  Beardstown,  while  one  minor  anticline  is 
known  to  be  present  near  Pittsfield  in  Pike  County,  as  described  on 
following  pages.^  A  number  of  wells  have  been  drilled  for  artesian 
water  to  the  St.  Peter  sandstone,  underlying  the  Galena-Trenton,  without 
discovering  any  marked  amount  of  oil  and  gas.  A  very  rough  idea  of  the 
structure,  obtainable  from  these'  records,  indicates  a  syncline,  or  basin, 
to  the  north  and  northeast  of  Cass  County.  The  western  limb  of  the  syn- 
cline lies  near  the  Illinois  River  while  the  eastward  rise  over  the  La 
Salle  anticline  is  noticeable  in  Woodford,  McLean,  and  Livingston 
counties. 

The  most  promising  area  for  testing  the  Trenton  rock  theoretically 
depends  on  the  amount  of  its  water  saturation.  If  the  horizon  is  free 
from  water,  oil  would  tend  to  accumulate  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
basin.  If  the  formation  is  practically  saturated  with  water,  any  oil 
present  would  probably  be  found  along  anticlinal  folds  or  flat  structural 
terraces.  Probably,  on  the  whole,  the  La  Salle  anticline  would  warrant 
testing  first.  There  has  been  a  feeling  among  some  operators  that  the 
Trenton  would  be  most  promising  in  localities  where  it  lies  about  1,000 
feet  below  the  surface,  because  this  condition  holds  for  much  of  the 
Indiana  field.  Geologically,  the  matter  of  folding  and  the  actual  alti- 
tude above  sea  level  is  regarded  as  more  important.  The  following  table 
has  been  prepared,  however,  in  response  to  inquiries,  and  shows  localities 
where  the  Trenton  may  probably  be  found  about  1,000  feet  below  the 
surface.  It  was  assembled  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Udden.  The  towns  with 
numbers  from  1  to  5  follow  the  eastern  side  of  the  syncline  and  perhaps 
lie  on  the  steep  western  slope  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The  towns 
numbered  from  6  to  12  lie  along  the  northwest  part  of  the  basin.  The  re- 
maining towns  show  the  position  of  the  western  side  of  the  syncline. 


'Savage,  T.  E.,  Pike  County  gas  field:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  2,  p.  77. 


BLATCHLEY] 


ILLINOIS   OIL    EESOUECES. 


163 


Town. 


County. 


Town. 


County. 


1  Fletcher. 


2  Kappa 

3  Woodford 

4  La  Rose 

5  McNabb 

6Buda 

7  Sheffield 

glBishopHiU 

9  North  Henderson. 

10  Oneida 

11  Toulon 

12  Bradford 


McLean 
Woodford. 
Woodford. 
Marshall. 
Putnam. 
Bureau. 
Bureau. 
Henry. 
j  Mercer. 
Knox. 
Stark. 
Stark. 


Wyoming Stark. 

Brimfield Peoria. 

Elmwood Peoria. 

Douglas Knox. 

Fairv'iew Fulton. 

Marietta Fulton. 

Industry iMcDonough 

Colmar i  McDonough 

Denver 1  Hancock. 

West  Point Hancock. 

Elvaston Hancock. 


The  lack  of  information  and  the  extreme  depth  has  prevented  a  study 
of  the  structure  of  the  pre-Carboniferous  rocks  inside  of  the  Illinois  basin 
and  in  the  southern  end  of  the  State.  In  speaking  of  this  area,  Mr. 
Bain  says  :^ 

"In  the  southern  portion  of  the  State  pre-Carboniferous  rocks  are 
generally  so  deeply  buried  that  they  are  believed  to  be,  for  the  present,  be- 
yond the  practicable  limit  for  prospecting.  In  addition,  the  areas  in 
which  they  outcrop  are  broken  by  faulting,  and  it  is  thought  that  if  they 
contained  any  considerable  amount  of  gas  or  oil,  originally,  much  of  it 
would  have  escaped.  The  faulting  also  interferes,  in  advance  of  detailed 
stratigraphic  work,  with  making  the  structural  studies  which  should 
guide  prospecting  in  these  rocks.  It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  the 
Trenton  rock  of  southern  Illinois  is  not  dolomite  as  in  the  Indiana  oil 
fields;  and  the  Clinton,  while  somewhat  like  that  of  Ohio,  is,  so  far  as 
known,  of  only  limited  extent." 

A  casual  study  of  these  rocks  near  their  outcrop  has  recently  been- 
made.  The  rocks  of  the  Ordovician,  Silurian,  and  Devonian  systems  out- 
crop in  Union  and  Alexander  counties  and  dip  very  rapidly  from  their 
exposure  to  the  northeast.  In  the  course  of  about  20  miles  northward 
from  Thebes  the  dip  is  considerably  over  1,300  feet,  while  from  Wolf 
Lake  to  Cobden,  the  amount  is  the  same  in  about  10  miles. 

A  recent  attempt  was  made  to  find  oil  along  an  east-west  deformation 
near  Cobden,  Union  County.  It  was  hoped  that  the  Trenton  would  be 
reached  but  the  drill  failed  to  penetrate  it.  The  bore  apparently  started 
at  the  base  of  the  Chester  formations  and  stopped  in  the  lower  Helder- 
burg  limestone.  The  limestone  between  1,025  and  1,195  feet,  termed  the 
"granite  limestone,"  was  seemingly  the  hard  cherty  Clear  Creek  lime- 
tone  of  Devonian  age.  It  is  present  in  this  vicinity  in  considerable 
thickness,  averaging  about  200  feet.  The  record  of  the  log  is  presented 
below  as  indicative  of  the  nature  of  the  lower  rocks  of  that  vicinitv : 


'Bain,  H.  Foster,  Petroleum  Fields  of  Illinois  in  1907:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  p.  303. 


164  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [BULL.  no.  16 

D.  T.  Finley  oil  prospect.     S.  M.  Cast  farm  near  Cohden. 


Thickness 
Feet. 

Depth- 
Feet. 

Limestone 

30 

5 
20 

5 
15 

5 
70 

8 
42 
35 
10 
55 

8 
82 
10 
90 

8 
37 

5 

5 
15 

5 
45 

5 

10 
35 
65 

30 

35 

55 

60 

75 

80 

150 

158 

200 

235 

245 

Broken  limestone 

Sand 

Broken  limestone 

Flint 

Broken  limestone 

Limestone,  very  hard 

Broken  limestone 

Limestone 

Sand 

Broken  limestone 

Limestone 

300 
308 

Broken  limestone 

Limestone 

390 
400 
490 
498 
535 

Shale 

Limestone 

Shale 

Salt-water  sand 

Shale 

540 
545 

Limestone 

Shale 

560 
565 
610 

Sand 

Broken  limestone 

Sand 

615 
625 
660 
725 

Shale 

Sand 

Shale  and  broken  limestone 

Limestone 

140 

865 

Shale  and  limestone 

65 
40 
10 
30 
15 
57 
113 
15 
30 

930 

Sandy  limestone 

970 

Limestone  and  salt  water 

980 

Sharp  limestone 

1,010 
1,025 
1,082 
1,195 

Sharp  sand 

Granite  limestone 

Granite  limestone 

Soft  limestone 

1  210 

Hard  limestone 

1,240 

Salt  water  at  970  feet. 

Well  flowed  salt  water  at  1,240  feet  deep. 

The  Trenton  is  ex^Dosed  in  the  bluffs  near  V^ahneyer,  Monroe  County, 
and  shows  a  thickness  of  about  60  feet.  Mr.  T.  E.  Savage,  of  the  Survey, 
states  that  an  almost  east  and  west  deformation  is  found  at  this  point. 
No  oil  seeps  are  noticeable  from  the  Trenton  and,  in  fact,  it  is  very 
doubtful  if  oil  is  present  since  the  limestone  is  non-dolomitic.  The  de- 
formation near  Valmeyer  suggests  investigation  toward  the  east,  especi- 
ally in  the  younger  rocks. 

Mention  was  made  of  an  anticline  in  Pike  County,  along  which  the 
Niagara  limestone  yields  gas.  This  area  was  discussed  by  Savage  in 
Bulletin  2  of  the  Survey  and  was  briefly  quoted  in  Bulletin  8.^  It  is 
repeated  in  part  below  since  the  area  has  the  only  known  commercial  oc- 
currence of  gas  in  the  State,  in  the  pre-Carboniferous  rocks: 

So  far  as  at  present  exploited,  the  gas  field  of  Pike  County  embraces  an 
area  about  seven  miles  in  length  and  four  miles  in  width.  It  extends  in  a 
northwest-southeast  direction  across  the  central  and  northwestern  portions 
of  Pittsfield  Township  and  the  northeast  quarter  of  Derry,  with  one  well 
further  north  in  section  36  of  township  4  south,  range  5  west.  A  line  drawn 
across  the  field  from  the  center  of  the  north  side  of  section  1  of  Derry  Town- 


'Bain,  H.  Foster,  Petroleum  Fields  of  Illinois  in  1907:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  p.  310. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    EESOURCES.  165 

ship  to  the  northeast  corner  of  section  36  of  Pittsfield  will  practically  sep- 
arate the  area  of  productive  wells  from  the  non-productive  portion  of  the 
field. 

The  wells  are  all  shallow,  the  gas  being  reached  at  a  depth  of  75  to  350 
feet,  depending  largely  upon  the  inequalities  of  the  surface.  There  is  evi- 
dence, too,  that  the  beds  dip  strongly  towards  the  east,  along  the  east  side 
of  the  area.  An  inclination  of  the  strata  towards  the  west  is  also  shown 
anlong  Dutch  Creek,  beyond  the  western  border  of  the  field. 

The  origin  of  natural  gas  and  the  conditions  of  its  accumulation  have 
been  discussed  in  the  preceding  pages.  In  the  Pike  County  field  the  gas 
occurs  along  an  arch  or  anticline  of  strata,  the  eastern  limb  of  which  is 
closely  determined  by  the  line  separating  the  productive  from  the  dry  wells. 
The  porous  stratum  forming  the  reservoir  is  a  bed  of  yellowish  brown,  more 
or  less  vesicular  magnesian  limestone  which  probably  belongs  to  the  Niagara. 
The  thick  bed  of  Kinderhook  shales,  that  immediately  overlies  the  Niagara 
limestone  in  this  region,  provides  the  impervious  cover  to  the  reservoir. 

The  pressure  of  gas  has  not  been  measured  in  any  of  the  wells  over  this 
field,  but  the  supply  furnished  by  an  average  well  is  many  times  more  than 
is  required  for  use  in  a  single  house.  In  the  stronger  wells  when  the  drills 
penetrated  the  gas  rock  the  outflow  of  gas  was  sufficiently  strong  to  throw 
out  the  water  and  mud  from  the  bottom,  and  in  one  case,  a  fragment  of  rock 
two  inches  in  diameter  was  carried  to  the  top  of  the  hole.  None  of  the  wells 
have  been  shot. 

The  gas  has  no  unpleasant  odor  and  it  burns  without  smoke,  giving  a 
strong,  bright  flame. 

A  slight  showing  of  oil  was  reported  from  a  few  of  the  wells.  Some  of 
the  samples  of  comminuted  gas  rock  that  were  examined  had  a  distinct  odor 
of  oil.  A  fragment  of  this  rock  at  the  home  of  Jerry  Mink  showed  the  dis- 
coloration as  well  as  odor  due  to  the  presence  of  oil. 

Since  the  above  was  written  the  field  has  been  extended  by  drilling 
until  it  now  covers  an  area  approximately  ten  miles  long  by  four  wide, 
with  an  outlying  well  about  seven  miles  to  the  southwest  near  Sumner 
Hill.  The  pressure  is  reported  to  be  small  but  fairly  uniform  throughout 
the  field.    Xo  oil  has  yet  been  found. 

Area  of  the  La  Salle  Axticlixe. 

In  mentioning  the  prominent  lines  of  deformation  in  Illinois  Stuart 
Weller  has  the  following  to  say  in  regard  to  the  La  Salle  anticline:^ 

"An  important  deformation  line  crosses  the  Illinois- Wisconsin  boun- 
daij  in  Stephenson  County  and  continues  with  a  direction  of  about  23° 
east  of  south,  crossing  Eock  River  at  Grand  Detour,  and  Illinois  Eiver 
between  La  Salle  and  Utica.  This  line  seems  to  be  a  simple  anticlinal 
fold  with  the  southwestern  limb  much  the  steeper.  It  brings  small  areas 
of  the  Lower  Magnesian  limestone  and  larger  areas  of  the  St.  Peter 
sandstone  to  the  surface  in  Ogle  County  and  again  in  La  Salle  County. 
This  fold  seems  to  continue  southeastward  beyond  the  Illinois  Eiver, 
but  the  rock  surface  of  this  portion  of  the  State  is  so  deeply  buried  by 
drift  that  it  is  not  easy  to  follow  such  a  line  of  deformation." 

The  La  Salle  anticline  is  drawn  upon  Plate  6  as  running  from  the 
vicinity  east  of  La  Salle  in  a  southeastward  direction  to  Sadorus  in  Cham- 
paign County.  From  thence  it  passes  near  Tuscola  and  enters  the  oil 
territor}^  of  Clark  County  near  Westfield.     It  continues  in  a  direct  line 


'Bull.  lU.  state  Geol.  Survey  No.  6,  p.  12. 


166  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

through  the  oil  fields  until  the  vicinit}^  of  St.  Francisville  in  Lawrence 
County  is  reached.  From  that  place  it  apparently  crosses  the  Wabash 
and  continues  to  Princeton,  Indiana. 

The  E-E  general  cross-section  (PI.  11)  shows  the  approximate  posi- 
tion of  the  anticline  to  be  near  Tolono  in  Champaign  County.  The 
coals  seem  to  be  absent  in  the  Tolono  well.  This  is  possibly  due  to 
erosion  as  would  be  natural  in  the  locality  of  an  anticline.  The  exact 
position  of  the  crest  cannot  be  stated  definitely  though  the  writer  thinks 
it  is  probably  west  of  Tolono.  A  considerable  belt  in  the  vicinity  of 
Tolono  warrants  prospecting. 

Worthen  brought  out  some  features  concerning  a  well  at  Tuscola/ 
Douglas  County,  about  12  miles  south  of  Tolono,  that  are  applicable,  in 
a  measure,  to  the  Tolono  well.  The  Tuscola  well  was  put  down  by 
diamond  drill  to  792  feet  and  failed  to  show  any  "Coal  Measures"  strata. 
Worthen  says,  in  part: 

"The  drift  deposits  were  found  to  be  186  feet  thick  at  the  point  where 
the  boring  was  made,  and  if  beds  belonging  to  the  "Coal  Measures" 
were  originally  deposited  there  they  were  removed  by  erosion  .at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  drift  period,  and  the  first  layers  of  bed-rock  encount- 
ered by  the  drill  appear  to  be  of  lower  Carboniferous  age.  The  oblique 
fracture  of  the  core  taken  from  this  boring  showed  that  the  limestones 
passed  through  dip  at  an  angle  of  about  20°,  which,  would  give  an  exag- 
gerated thickness  to  the  beds  as  reported,  and  shows  that  this  boring  is 
on,  or  very  near,  the  center  of  the  great  anticlinal  axis  which  crosses 
northern  Illinois  diagonally  through  the  counties  of  Ogle  and  La  Salle, 
but  is  hidden  in  its  southeastern  extension  by  the  superincumbent  de- 
posits of  drift  material.  There  is  probably  a  considerable  area  along  the 
above  mentioned  axis  extending  through  the  counties  of  Livingston, 
Ford,  Champaign,  and  Douglas,  where  no  valuable  deposit  of  coal  will  be 
found,  such  deposits  having  been  removed  by  erosion  if  they  formerly 
existed  over  this  axis,  as  seems  probable." 

The  general  cross-section  A-A  (PI.  7)  shows  the  profile  of  the  anticline 
near  Bridgeport  in  Lawrence  County.  In  the  territory  to  the  north  the 
fold  is  narrow  while  to  the  south  it  is  about  twice  as  wide.  Other  studies 
of  the  oil  fields  to  the  north,  near  Eobinson,  indicate  that  the  arch  is 
much  wider  than  it  is  around  Bridgeport.  It  has  been  found  that  the 
major  axis  is  interrupted  along  certain  areas,  causing  a  segregation  of 
pools.  Whether  this  condition  is  due  to  faults  or  to  a  series  of  folds 
transverse  to  the  major  axis  is  not  known. 

At  any  rate  it  is  very  apparent  that  the  anticline  is  the  general  cause 
of  the  accumulation  of  oil,  and  drilling  should  be  further  encouraged 
from  the  northern  extremity  of  the  present  productive  area  to  the  vicinity 
of  Tolono.  The  wells  that  have  been  drilled  in  an  effort  to  locate  the 
crest  of  the  anticline  in  Coles  and  Douglas  counties  have  not  been  suf- 
ficient in  number  to  condemn  that  territory.  In  fact  it  is  reasonable  to 
assume  that  the  anticline  should  be  an  accumulating  agent  for  that  por- 
tion of  the  State. 


'Geol.  Survey  of  111.,  vol.  VIII,  p.  25. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    EESOURCES.  167 

The  Tolono  well  is  not  a  final  test  for  this  locality.  The  fact  that 
a  show  of  oil  was  found  in  several  sands  is  favorable  to  some  degree. 
The  accumnlation  may  be  localized  to  the  west  and  the  area  to  be  tested- 
would  depend  on  the  width  of  the  fold  as  determined  later;  probably  it 
covers  at  least  three  miles. 

The  territory  north  of  Tolono  in  the  vicinity  of  Mahomet,  and  beyond, 
should  bear  investigation.  It  is  not  known  whether  the  sands  are  pres- 
ent in  favorable  thickness  and  porosity  along  the  anticline.  It  is  known, 
however,  that  the  Pottsville  and  Chester  rocks  are  thinning  rapidly  to  the 
northward  and  it  is  probable  that  any  accumulation  of  oil  would  be  in 
older  and  lower  formations.  At  any  rate  the  structure  itself  is  highly 
promising. 

A  barren  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1/760  feet  at  Thomasboro, 
Champaign  County,  in  1909.  It  was  located  presumably  with  a  view  to 
drilling  the  crest  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  The  well  lies  well  down  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  fold,  however,  seemingly  about  8  or  10  miles  from  the 
crest.  It  discredits  prospective  oil  territory  at  Thomasboro  but  does  not 
condemn  the  area  to  the  west. 

Promising  Areas  of  General  Cross-sections. 

The  promising  areas  along  the  general  cross-sections  as  described  on 
pages  67  to  128  are  mentioned  here,  in  some  detail. 

cross-section  a-a. 

1.  The  first  locality  of  note  upon  the  section  is  the  flat  terrace  ex- 
tending from  a  point  about  1  mile  east  of  O^Fallon  to  about  3  miles  west. 
The  oil  accumulation,  if  any,  would  tend  to  be  east  of  town  near  the 
eastward  dip  of  the  coal.  The  collecting  sands  for  oil,  if  present,  would 
be  shallow,  inasmuch  as  the  Chester  formations  are  between  300  and 
400  feet  deep  here.  The  prospective  area  seems  to  have  a  north  and  south 
trend. 

2.  The  next  locality  is  at  Aviston.  A  mild  deformation  occurs  here 
that,  perhaps,  is  suited  to  oil  accumulation.  The  prospective  area  may 
extend  about  2  miles  to  either  side  of  the  town.  The  trend  of  the  de- 
formation seems  to  be  in  a  northeast  and  southwest  direction.  The  one 
unfavorable  test  already  made  near  this  area  should  not  condemn  it. 

3.  A  very  mild  rise  in  the  coal  or  a  terrace  occurs  at  or  near  Carlyle. 
This  may  be  favorable  to  the  accumulation  of  oil.  It  is  possible  that  the 
Aviston  or  the  Carlyle  deformation  is  comparable  to  the  one  at  Green- 
ville, about  18  miles  to  the  north,  along  which  good  pressures  of  gas 
are  gotten  from  a  sand  that  is  the  equivalent  of  the  Benoist  -  or  the 
Kirkwood  sands. 

4.  The  fourth  notable  disturbance  in  the  coal  and  the  lower  strata 
is  an  irregular  structural  terrace  between  Sandoval  and  Odin,  where 
oil  is  now  being  produced.  Further  discussion  of  this  area  is  presented 
under  the  heading  of  Marion  County. 


168  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bulj..  no.  16 

5.  The  last  prospective  area  along  this  line  is  at  luka.  The  de- 
formation rises  from  a  point  about  two  miles  west  of  luka  and  appar- 
ently continues  2  or  3  miles  east  of  town,  from  which  locality  it  dips 
again  into  the  Illinois  basin.  Other  evidences  of  the  promise  of  this 
general  locality,  though  not  necessarily  related  to  each  other,  is  the 
fact  that  oil  was  reported  in  a  well  several  miles  to  the  east  of  Alma. 
This  is  about  8  miles  slightly  west  of  north  from  luka.  Oil  was  also 
reported  at  a  shallow  depth  near  lola  in  Clay  County,  15  miles  north- 
east of  luka. 

CROSS-SECTION   B-B. 

The  conditions  along  this  section  are  somewhat  comparable  to  those  of 
the  previous  section. 

1.  A  mild  arch  in  the  coal  is  shown  immediately  to  the  northwest  of 
Belleville.    It  is  perhaps  2  miles  in  width. 

2.  A  more-defined  but  nevertheless  mild  anticline  occurs  2  miles  east 
of  Belleville.  Its  extent  is  perhaps  3  miles.  This  arch  seems  to  cor- 
respond to  the  O'Fallon  area  upon  the  A-A  section  (See  Bull.  No.  8, 
PL  12).  Tlie  probable  depth  of  the  Chester  formations  is  600  to  700 
feet. 

3.  There  is  an  arch  2  or  3  miles  in  extent  at  Mascoutah,  offering 
suggestive  territory.  Oil  was  reported  in  small  quantity  in  the  deep  well 
at  Mascoutah  but  the  depth  of  occurrence  is  not  known.  In  the  summer 
of  1907  it  was  reported  that  a  gallon  of  oil  per  day  was  collected  from  the 
casing  and  it  was  even  noticed  in  minute  quantities  in  the  flowing  water. 
The  Mascoutah  deformation  seems  to  correspond  to  the  Aviston  arch 
of  cross-section  A-A,  and  thus  assumes  a  northeast  and  southwest  trend. 

4.  The  coal  dips  abruptly  at  Nashville,  suggesting  the  beginning  of 
a  structural  terrace  similar  to  that  at  Centralia  and  Duquoin.  In  all 
probability  a  terrace  that  is  continuous  from  Duquoin  to  Sandoval  exists 
between  Nashville  and  Ashley.  Prospecting  should  be  done  carefully 
between  Nashville  and  Ashley,  especially  at  Beaucoup. 

5.  There  is  an  area  between  Opdyke  and  Delafield,  near  the  bottom  of 
the  basin,  where  the  coal  lies  flat.  The  conspicuous  dip  upon  either 
side  of  the  flat  lends  it  some  importance  and  if  the  sands  are  free  of 
salt  water  in  the  basin,  which  is  improbable,  there  is  opportunity  for  the 
presence  of  oil  along  this  flat. 

The  structure  of  the  coal  between  Equality  and  Eldorado  is  plotted 
from  accurate  contours  previously  based  on  the  coal,  and  indicate  a  very 
sharp  anticline  which  is  worthy  of  investigation.^ 

CROSS-SECTIONS    C-C. 

1.  The  first  noticeable  structure  of  the  C-C  cross-section  that  is 
suggestive  of  oil  and  gas  accumulation,  is  a  flat  at  Marissa  which  extends 
from  about  2  miles  west  of  the  town  to  about  1  mile  east.  Oil  was  found 
in  small  quantity  in  the  deep  well  at  Marissa. 

iSee  map  by  DeWolf,  F.  W.:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey,  No.  8,  Pi.  9. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS    OIL    RESOURCES,'  169 

2.  A  very  marked  anticlinal  structure  at  Tilden  is  worthy  of  investi- 
gation. Its  position  along  the  side  of  the  Illinois  basin  would  offer  a 
good  collecting  area  for  oil  and  gas.  It  may  be  comparable  .  to  the 
Mascoutah  arch  of  the  B-B  section. 

3.  The  exceptional  and  well-marked  anticline  at  Duquoin  is  worthy 
of  extensive  investigation.  The  top  of  the  fold  lies  within  the  town  or 
perhaps  slightly  to  the  east,  and  the  dip  in  the  coal  to  the  east  is  over 
400  feet  in  about  2  miles.  The  flat,  plateau-like  crest  of  the  anticline 
extends  westward  to  Pinckneyville,  a  distance  of  about  9  miles.  This 
area  between  the  two  towns  is  especially  attractive  as  prospective  terri- 
tory. 

Two  wells  drilled  at  St.  John,  two  miles  north  of  Duquoin,  yielded 
no  oil  but  great  quantities  of  salt  water  from  the  St.  Louis  limestone. 
In  fact,  the  salt  content  of  the  water  warranted  the  establishment  of  an 
evaporating  plant,  which  ran  very  successfully  for  a  time.  These  wells 
seem  to  lie  northwest  of  the  highest  structure.  While  the  St.  John 
wells  were  unproductive  of  oil  they  should  not  condemn  this  area,  for 
the  accumulations  may  be  elsewhere  in  the  vicinity.  There  may  be 
local  irregularities  in  the  flat  such  as  the  present  data  do  not  show  and 
where  the  accumulation  may  occur.  It  should  be  noted  especially  that 
salt  water  is  not  reported  from  the  Chester  sands  which  would  be  sought 
in  oil  drilling.  Well  Xo.  21  was  drilled  along  the  eastward  flank  of  the 
anticline  and  reveals  great  quantities  of  salt  water.  All  the  formations 
within  this  welF  conformed  to  the  dip  of  the  coal  and  confirm  the 
structure  of  the  anticline.  The  presence  of  salt  water  in  such  quantity, 
along  the  east  slope,  is  very  important  and  suggests  that  oil  should  be 
sought  to  the  west  where  the  sand  has  higher  levels.  If  the  sand  is  free 
from  water  at  St.  John  there  must  be  a  line  of  saturation  between  this 
place  and  well  Xo.  21,  which  found  wet  sands.  Oil  is  likely  to  be  pooled 
at  the  top  of  the  part  of  the  sandstone  which  is  saturated  with  water. 

There  have  been  numerous  rumors  that  wells  and  springs  between  Du- 
quoin and  Pinckneyville  have  yielded  oil  with  water.  Thus,  it  is  said 
that  oil  has  been  found  on  the  top  of  water  in  an  abandoned  coal  shaft 
near  Holts  station.  The  oil  is  said  to  have  been  too  plentiful  to  have 
been  derived  from  machinery'  or  other  artificial  sources.  It  is  also 
stated  that  gas  was  found  in  the  deep  well  at  St.  John  and  that  one  of 
the  drillers  was  burned  when  the  bore  was  being  put  down.  If  any 
credence  can  be  placed  in  the  above  reports,  it  would  seem  that  oil  and 
gas  may  be  indicative  of  further  supply. 

The  Duquoin  anticline  is  considered  to  be  a  continuation  of  the 
Sandoval  terrace.  From  Duquoin  northward,  it  probably  passes  west 
of  Tamaroa  and  Dubois,  and  iDetween  Xashville  and  Ashley.  The  area 
involved  is  probably  from  6  to  8  miles  in  width  at  Duquoin  and  Xashville, 
and  one-half  mile  to  1  mile  at  Sandoval.  Its  extension  north  of  Sandoval 
has  been  spoken  of  elsewhere  (p.  146).  The  crest  of  the  terrace  is  higher 
at  Duquoin  than  at  Centralia,  and,  hence,  has  a  slope  downward  to  the 
north  from  Duquoin.  It  also  is  narrowing  in  its  axial  width  in  that 
direction.     At  Duquoin  the  dip  is  from  400  feet  above,  to  several  feet 


170  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

below,  sea  level,  while  at  Centralia  the  dip  is  from  sea  level  downward. 
The  crest  continues  with  increasing  elevation  southwestward  from  Du- 
quoin.     (See  p.  171.) 

4.  A  very  sharp  and  well-pronounced  anticline  lies  5  to  6  miles  east 
of  Duquoin  with  its  crest  at  record  No.  24.  This  arch  seems  comparable 
to  the  one  at  luka  along  the  A-A  section,  inasmuch  as  it  lies  at  the 
base  of  the  Duquoin  deformation  and  parallels  it.  Whether  it  is  con- 
tinuous between  these  localities  cannot  be  known  in  advance  of  drilling. 
The  presence  of  water  in  this  vicinity  would  have  a  tendency  to  drive 
the  oil  from  either  side  into  the  top  of  the  anticline. 

5.  A  broad,  gentle  arch  extends  from  Mulkeytown  to  a  locality  about 
6  miles  east,  and  may  be  an  accumulating  area,  depending  upon  the 
water  saturation  of  the  sands. 

6.  A  well  put  down  in  the  vicinity  of  Eldorado  showed  some  oil.  It 
apparently  lies  upon  a  local  terrace,  as  shown  by  the  contours  upon  the 
coal  in  that  neighborhood.^ 

CROSS-SECTION    D-D. 

1.  A  noticeable  bench  or  terrace  occurs  in  the  coal  between  wells  8 
and  9  or  between  West  Frankfort  and  Benton. 

2.  A  second  bench  falls  between  wells  10  and  11.  This  would  be 
geographically  about  four  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Ewing.  It,  and  the 
one  mentioned  in  paragraph  1,  are  well  down  the  slope  of  the  basin. 
They  are  scarcely  likely  to  be  causes  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas, 
but  deserve  mention. 

CROSS-SECTION  E-E. 

1.  The  only  significant  feature,  in  the  structure,  exists  at  Niantic. 
A  very  mild  arch  is  shown  in  the  No.  6  coal.  It  is  noticeable  that  from 
this  point  eastward  there  is  a  rapid  dip  of  the  coal  into  the  basin.  It 
is  suggested  that  the  Niantic  terrace  may  be  the  continuation  of  the  San- 
doval-Duquoin  terrace.  This  is  suggestive  of  oil  accumulation  and  war- 
rants investigation. 

2.  All  the  formations  show  a  decided  rise  into  the  La  Salle  anticline, 
near  Tolono.  The  crest  of  this  arch  is  thought  to  be  west  of  Tolono  in 
the  vicinity  of  Sadorus.  The  presence  of  oil  in  the  well  at  Tolono  is 
suggestive  that  this  fold  may  still  be  productive  at  this  distance  from 
the  present  main  fields,  and  that  it  should  have  further  investigation. 

Structural  Features  of  Quadrangle  Maps. 

In  the  course  of  detailed  geologic  mapping  by  the  Survey  a  number 
of  maps  have  been  prepared  to  show  the  "lie''  of  No.  6  coal  by  means 
of  contours.  Three  such  maps  appear  in  this  volume  as  Plates  24,  28, 
and  32.  The  oil  operator  will  do  well  to  study  these  maps  and  note 
the  irregularities  presented.    It  is  evident  that  folds,  at  least  in  the  area 


iBuU.  lU.  state  Geol.  Survey.  No.  8,  Pi.  9. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOUECES.  171 

mapped,  do  not  continue  in  long  straight  lines,  but  are  of  local  extent. 
Wildcatting  in  this  area  is  more  likely  to  be  successful  than  otherwise, 
if  the  locations  are  planned  with  reference  to  structure. 

The  Murphysboro  quadrangle  (PI.  32  ) indicates  that  the  Duquoin 
anticline  continues  southwestward  through  the  following  sections:  24, 
26,  and  34  of  T.  6  S.,  E.  2  W.;  3,  4,  5,  7,  8,  9,  and  10  of  T.  7  S., 
E.  2  W. ;  8,  9,  10,  11,  and  12  of  T.  7  S.,  E.  3  W.  The  top  and  per- 
haps the -flanks  of  this  fold  deserve  prospecting  except  in  close  proximity 
to  the  fault  which  is  mapped.  If  the  oil  sands  on  the  anticline  at 
Duquoin  are  found  to  contain  salt  water  it  may  be  desirable  to  follow  the 
rising  crest  of  the  anticline  as  outlined  above.  Another  gentler,  and 
less-promising  anticline  lies  west  of  Murphysboro  along  sees.  2r>  and 
36  of  T.  8  S.,  E.  3  W.;  31  of  T.  8  S.,  E.  2  W.,  1  and  12  of  T.  9  S., 
E.  3  W. 

The  Herrin  quadrangle  (PL  28),  lying  next  to  the  east,  shows  a  num- 
ber of  irregularities  of  structure.  The  most  conspicuous  is  the  east 
slope  of  the  Duquoin  anticline,  previously  described.  A  small  terrace- 
like area  at  Elkville  is  notable.  It  lies  in  the  adjoining  halves  of 
sections  17  and  18,  at  the  head  of  a  steep  eastwardly  dip  as  shown  by 
the  contours.  The  terrace  merges  into  an  indefinite  anticline  running 
northwestward  through  sees.  7,  T.  7  S.,  E.  1  W.,  and  sees.  11,  12,  and 
13  of  T.  7  S.,  E.  2  W.  Another  promising  area  is  near  Bush  (sees. 
5,  6,  and  7  of  T.  8  S.,  E.  1  E.,  and  1  and  12  of  T.  8  S.,  E.  1  W.). 
An  anticlinal  fold,  21^  miles  north,  in  sec.  25,  is  perhaps  worth  prospect- 
ing, though  the  contours  are  regarded  as  of  doubtful  accuracy.  A  much 
milder  fold  lies  west  of  Zeigler  in  sees.  10,  11,  14,  15,  22,  and  23' 
of  T.  7  S.,  E.  1. 

The  West  Frankfort  quadrangle  (PI.  24)  exhibits  a  poorly  defined 
arch  at  Benton;  it  trends  nearly  northeast-southwest  through  sees.  15, 
16,  17,  19,  and  20  of  T.  6  S.,  E.  3  E.,  and  21,  22,  23,  24,  and  26  of 
T.  6  S.,  E.  2  E.  A  promising  structural  terrace  lies  northwest  of 
Johnson  City  is  sees.  10  and  15  of  T.  8  S.,  E.  2  E.  Another  lies 
1  mile  northeast  of  Pittsburg  if  the  present  tentative  mapping  is  correct. 

The  Galatia  quadrangle  structure  is  shown  by  contours  based  on 
No.  5  coal.^  Unpublished  maps  based  on  No.  6  coal  show  lack  of  paral- 
lelism in  the  coals  but  indicate  the  same  prominent  structural  features. 
The  published  map  suggests  dome-like  folds  which  may  warrant  pros- 
pecting but  also  suggests  the  presence  of  faulting,  which  may  condemn 
the  closely  adjoining  areas. 

The  Eldorado  map  based  on  No.  5  coaP  shows  a  terrace-like  area 
about  31^  miles  southwest  of  Eldorado  in  the  adjoining  sections  31,  36, 
1,  and  6.  This  area  is  2  to  3  miles  southwest  of  recent  oil  prospects  at 
Eldorado,  and  75  to  100  feet  higher,  structurally.  An  anticline  already 
described  (p.  168)  lies  31/2  miles  southeast  of  the  oil  prospects,  in  sees.  1 
and  2,  T.  9,  E.  7.  Its  crest  trends  northeast-southwest  and  lies  225  feet 
higher,  structurally,  than  the  Eldorado  area. 


'DeWolf,  F.  W.:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey.  No.  8,  Pi.  4. 
'Idem,  Pi.  9. 


172  YEAE-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

MiSCELLulNEOUS   AreAS. 
THE   DUQUOIJ^-SANDOVAL  TERRACE. 

The  Duquoin- Sandoval  terrace  can  be  approximately  traced  north  of 
Marion  County.  A  rapid  dip  of  the  coal,  similar  to  that  at  Duquoin  and 
Centralia,  but  not  so  extensive,  probably  takes  place  from  Brownstown 
to  St.  Elmo  in  Fayette  County  and  from  Tower  Hill  to  Shelby ville  in 
Christian  County.  The  terrace  flattening  seems  to  lie  west  of  Browns- 
town  and  Tower  Hill.  The  formations  dip  decidedly  to  the  east,  plac- 
ing Eflingham,  Windsor,  Sullivan,  Lovington,  and  Shelby  ville  near 
the  bottom  of  the  northern  extension  of  the  Illinois  basin.  The  continu- 
ation of  the  terrace  northward  seems  to  carry  it  to  the  neighborhood  of 
Decatur,  possibly  to  Niantic.  The  territory  to  the  west  of  the  approxi- 
mate line  may  be  considered  prospective  and  should  be  investigated. 

FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  discover  oil  and  gas  in  Fayette 
County.  Wells  from  1,050  to  1,400  feet  deep  have  been  drilled  near 
Vandalia,  St.  Elmo,  Eamsey,  Brownstown,  and  along  the  northern  and 
western  boundaries  of  the  county.  None  of  the  wells  penetrate  the 
Chester  formations,  but  it  is  more  than  likely  that  all  reach  the  basal 
sandstones  of  the  Pennsylvanian.  One  well  in  sec.  15,  T.  6  X.,  E.  1  E., 
obtained  a  show  of  oil  in  155  feet  of  dark  sandstone,  the  base  of 
which  was  1,002  feet  deep.  The  thickness  and  the  position  of  this 
sandstone  indicates  that  it  belongs  to  the  Pottsville  rocks.  The  well 
is  not  a  sufficient  test  for  the  locality.  Another  well  was  drilled  4  miles 
south  of  Brownstown  to  a  depth  of  1,207  feet.  It  lies  along  an  area 
thought  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  Sandoval  terrace.  The  record  i^ 
very  much  generalized  and  unsatisfactory.  While  the  well  discredits- 
the  prospective  area  it  does  not  condemn  it  absolutely,  since  it  does  not 
seem  to  penetrate  the  Chester  formations.  The  area  west  of  this  well 
between  Vandalia  and  Brownstown  warrants  investigation.  Another  im- 
portant well  21/2  miles  northeast  of  Vera,  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1,140 
feet.  The  coals  lie  much  deeper  in  this  record  than  would  be  expected 
unless  there  is  an  abrupt  dip  from  Vandalia  to  this  well  site.  Correla- 
tions are  unsatisfactory  but  it  appears  that  the  hole  failed  to  pass 
through  the  Pottsville  sands  and  did  not  enter  the  Chester  formations, 
which  should  be  especially  prospected.  This  well  lies  in  the  prospective 
area  outlined  between  Vandalia  and  Brownstown. 

SHELBY^  COUNTY. 

An  oil  prospect  was  put  down  in  the  vicinity  of  Herrick,  Shelby 
County,  that  reached  a  depth  of  1,395  feet.  Coals  were  noted  at  depths 
of  432,  764,  and  845  feet  and  a  succession  of  sands  and  shales  were 
encountered  between  974  and  1,395  feet.  Sands  predominate  and  were 
well  saturated  with  water.    The  bottom  of  the  bore  was  apparently  at  or 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  173 

near  the  base  of  the  Pottsville  sands.  The  limestones  and  red  shales 
of  the  Chester  rocks  were  not  penetrated  hence  the  well  dos  not  prove 
a  sufficient  test  for  that  immediate  territor}-.  It  is  thought  that  the 
well  lies  to  the  east  of  the  Duquoin- Sandoval  teiTace  and  hence  is  not 
advantageously  placed. 

BOND   COUXTY. 

A  new  gas  area  was  recently  tapped  by  the  Summerfield  Gas  Company 
on  the  C.  J.  Lindley  farm,  2  miles  south  of  Greenville,  Bond  County. 
Two  wells,  lying  about  one-half  mile  apart,  have  proved  successful  and 
now  furnish  gas  in  Greenville.  Xo.  1  lies  in  the'S.  E.  14  ^-  E.  14 
sec.  22,  T.  5  X.,  E.  3  W.,  and  produces  about  2,500,000  cubic  feet 
of  gas  daily  from  a  depth  of  920  feet.  Xo.  2  lies  in  the  X.  W.  corner 
sec.  2G,  T.  5  X.,  E.  3  W.,  and  produces  about  1,250,000  cubic  feet  of 
gas  from  a  depth  of  1,050  feet.  The  gas  has  but  little  odor  and  burns 
with  a  hot  blue  flame.  It  comes  from  a  sand  underlying  the  Chester 
red  shales,  corresponding  in  position  to  the  Benoist  sand  of  the  Sandoval 
field  and  the  Kirkwood  sand  of  the  main  fields.  The  depth  of  the  sand, 
however,  is  less  in  the  Greenville  area  than  in  the  other  producing 
fields,  since  this  territory  lies  well  up  the  western  slope  of  the  Illinois 
basin.  Its  position  corresponds  closely  to  that  of  wells  Xos.  10  and  11 
of  the  A-xl  cross-section.  (PI.  T.)  The  Pottsville  sands  are  apparently 
present  in  the  Greenville  gas  wells  but  are  comparatively  thin.  They  are 
35  feet  thick  and  665  feet  deep  in  Xo.  1  and  65  feet  thick  and  715  feet 
deep  in  Xo.  2. 

Other  wells  in  the  county  have  proved  dry.  One  was  drilled  to  a  depth 
of  1.079  feet  near  the  Lindlev  wells  on  the  S.  T.  Henrv  farm  in  the 
X.  W.  14  S.  E.  14  S.  E.  14  sec.  15,  T.  5  X.,  E.  3  W.  ^  The  Lindley 
sand  lies  at  990  feet  and  is  35  feet  thick.  The  Pottsville  sand  occurs 
at  725  feet  and  is  45  feet  thick.  It  contains  considerable  water. 
Another  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  921  feet  on  the  Phillip  Gloss 
farm  in  the  X.  W.  %  X.  E.  i/i  sec.  32,  T.  5  X:,  E.  5  W.,  about  8  miles 
west  of  the  Lindley  wells.  The  Lindley  sand  is  found  at  910  feet  and 
contains  water.  The  Pottsville  or  Buchanan  sand  cannot  be  distin- 
guished in  the  record  of  this  well. 

A  number  of  wells  are  being  drilled  at  present  in  an  effort  to  find 
the  trend  of  the  gas  area.  Though  wells  drilled  to  the  north  and  to  the 
south  of  the  present  gas  area  have  been  dry  its  seems  possible  that  the 
producing  area  may  have  a  northeast-southwest  direction.  With  addi- 
tional data  it  will  be  possible  to  make  a  structure  map  of  the  region 
later.  Study  of  the  formations  between  Greenville  and  Yandalia.  reveals 
a  mild  arch  in  the  Xo.  6  coal  at  Smithboro.  It  may  correspond  to  the 
slight  arch  at  Aviston,  and  at  any  rate  is  worthy  of  note. 

MORGAX    COUXTY. 

A  new  gas  area  was  opened  up  in  the  spring  of  1910,  several  miles  east 
of  Jacksonville,  Morgan  County.  Gas  was  found  at  a  depth  of  approx- 
imately 300  feet,  in  a  mixture  of  slate  and  black  sand,  containing  iron 
pyrites.     Black,  brackish,   and  ill-smelling  water   is   encountered   with 


174  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

the  gas,  although  the  gas  itself  is  odorless  and  colorless.  It  burns  with 
a  very  hot  blue  flame.  The  pressures  in  the  wells  are  small  and  the 
quantities  of  gas  are  scarcely  of  commercial  importance. 

A  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  965  feet  at  Waverly  in  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  county.  Gas  was  reported  in  a  sandstone  at  324 
feet  and  oil  in  hard,  sandy  limestones  at  depths  of  800  and  912  feet. 
The  amount  of  oil  was  small  and  the  well  was  abandoned. 

GALLATIN   COUNTY. 

Attempts  were  made,  as  far  back  as  1887-8  to  find  oil  and  gas  in 
Gallatin  County.  A  boring  completed  at  Shawneetown  to  a  depth  of 
1,5131/2  feet,  was  described  and  interpreted  by  Nickles.^  The  Penn- 
sylvanian  rocks  were  1,453  feet  thick.  Of  this  thickness,  the  lower  480 
feet  was  called  "Conglomerate'^  by  Nickles  and  corresponds  to  the  Potts- 
ville  as  described  in  this  report.  The  aggregate  thickness  of  massive 
sandstones  is  340  feet.  A  limestone  underlying  the  massive  sandstones 
at  1,453  feet  was  considered  by  Nickles  to  be  the  top  limestone  of  the 
Chester  rocks.  It  was  reported  that  a  white  sandstone  at  594  feet 
showed  some  oil,  while  the  sandstones  at  728,  1,108,  and  1,323  feet 
produced  salt  water. 

Eecently  wells  have  been  put  down  near  Omaha  and  Ridgeway.  The 
Omaha  well.^  located  in  the  S.  E.  %  N.  W.  i/4  sec.  23,  T.  7  S.,  E.  8 
E.,  was  drilled  to  1,556  feet.  At  a  depth  of  1,314  feet  a  69-foot  sand- 
stone was  encountered.  At  1,430  feet  a  sand  was  struck  and  was  pene- 
trated to  a  depth  of  126  feet.  This  is  regarded  as  Pottsville.  A  showing 
of  gas  was  found  in  a  blue  sandstone  at  1,010  feet  while  water  was 
drilled  into  in  sands  at  depths  of  800,  1,160,  1,280,  1,314,  and  1,430  feet. 
The  Ridgeway  welP  was  drilled  on  the  Drone  farm  in  the  S.  W.  comer 
N.  E.  1/4  S.  W.  14  sec.  23,  T.  8  S.,  R.  9  E.  It  reached  a  depth  of  1,200 
feet  but  did  not  penetrate  the  Pottsville  sandstones  at  the  base  of  the 
Pennsylvanian.  A  second  well  was  drilled  near  Ridgeway^  on  the  Smith 
farm  in  the  S.  E.  corner -N.  E.  1/4  N.  E.  1/4  sec.  29,  T.  8  S.,  R.  9  W.  A 
partial  record  of  the  well  to  a  depth  of  812  feet  has  been  received.  Oil 
was  found  in  three  shallow  sands  at  depth  of  272,  455,  and  770  feet. 
The  quantities  were  small  and  unprofitable  so  the  well  is  being  drilled 
deeper.  Water  was  found  in  sands  at  depths  of  535  and  746  feet.  Other 
drilling  is  contemplated  in  search  of  anticlinal  structures.  The  struc- 
tural geology  has  been  worked  out  for  the  area  about  2  miles  southwest 
of  Ridgeway^  but  information  was  too  scant  to  carry  the  investigation 
closer  to  the  present  drilling. 

JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

Several  oil  prospects  have  been  drilled  with  discouraging  results  in 
the  western  half  of  Jefferson  County  during  1909-10.  The  well  drilled 
near  Dix  has  been  discussed  on  p.  114.  A  second  well  was  drilled  near 
Drivers  to  a  depth  of  about  1,600  feet.    A  show  of  oil  was  obtained  in 

iNickles,  J.  M.,  Report  Illinois  Board  World's  Fair  Commissioners,  1893,  p.  174-5. 

2 Record  kindly  furnished  by  the  Omaha  Oil  and  Gas  Co. 

•*Record  kindly  furnished  by  E.  R.  Ri^ps. 

^DeWolf,  F,  W.:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  Pi.  9. 


BLATCHLEY]  ILLINOIS   OIL    RESOURCES.  175 

5  feet  of  sand  between  1,400  and  1,500  feet,  but  the  well  was  aban- 
doned. Another  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  2,020  feet  near  Boyd. 
Coal  was  found  at  792  feet  and  sands  were  encountered  at  1,470,  1,630, 
1,658,  1,780,  and  1,930  feet.  The  top  limestone  of  the  Chester  rocks  lies 
at  1,740  feet  while  the  red  shales  of  this  division  lie  1,800  and  1,875  feet. 
The  sand  at  a  depth  of  1,930  feet  seems  comparable  to  the  Benoist  sand 
of  the  Sandoval  field.  The  top  of  the  massive  Mississippian  limestone 
is  1,945  feet  and  the  thickness  penetrated  was  75  feet.  The  hole  lies 
well  down  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Duquoin-Sandoval  terrace.  The 
complete  records  of  these  and  other  wells  would  be  valitable  in  the  study 
of  the  structural  geology  of  the  area  around  Nashville  and  Ashley,  near 
which  the  Duquoin-Sandoval  terrace  is  presumed  to  lie. 

JERSEY  COUNTY. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  locate  oil  and  gas  in  Jersey 
County  and  all  but  one  so  far  have  been  failures.  The  rocks  producing 
oil  in  eastern  and  central  Illinois  are  absent  and  the  older  rocks  lie  at 
shallow  depths.  A  well  drilled  in  Jerseyville  to  a  depth  of  1,468  feet 
penetrated  the  St.  Peter  sandstone.  The  overlying  formations  were 
mainly  limestones  and  comparatively  thin  strata  of  shale.  The  well  was 
unproductive  and  found  water  at  a  depth  of  1,040  feet,  in  a  limestone 
that  is  considered  to  be  the  Galena-Trenton.  Its  top  was  975  feet  deep 
and  its  total  thickness  375  feet.  Oil  was  reported  as  coming  from  the 
limestone  at  1,040  feet  upon  shooting  the  well  with  dynamite  to  increase 
the  water  supply.  Another  well  was  drilled  about  314  miles  northeast 
of  Grafton.  It  penetrated  257  feet  of  the  Galena-Trenton  and  was  897 
feet  deep.  The  Niagara  limestone  was  found  at  a  depth  of  298  feet 
and  was  102  feet  thick.  The  only  water  of  consequence  was  found  in  the 
bottom  of  the  Cincinnatian  shales  at  540  feet. 

MADISON    COUNTY. 

Several  wells  were  drilled  upon  the  "American  Bottoms"  or  lowlands 
adjoining  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  Three  wells  were  drilled  on  the  Watts 
farm  in  sec- 18,  T.  3  N.,  E.  8  W.  No.  1  was  drilled  to  1,249  feet,  and 
showed  oil  at  that  depth,  according  to  report.  Salt  water  was  encountered 
at  980  feet.  No.  2  was  drilled  1,540  feet  and  is  reported  to  have 
found  water  sands  at  depths  of  510,  980,  and  1,490  feet.  No  record  is 
available  of  No.  3.  All  three  wells  lie  in  a  position  similar  to  that 
of  No.  1  on  the  A-A  cross-section  (PI.  7),  and  described  on  p.  86. 
Other  barren  wells  were  drilled  in  the  same  neighborhood.  A  deep  well 
drilled  at  Highland,  is  valuable  in  corroborating  the  interpretation  of 
the  wells  in  Bond  County.  Coal  was  reported  at  depths  of  505  and  525 
feet.  Sandstone  at  742  feet  possibly  belongs  in  the  Pottsville  formation. 
Eed  shales,,  noted  at  816  and  853  feet,  undoubtedly  belong  to  the  Chester. 
The  top  Chester  limestone  was  probably  found  at  798  feet,  though  a  4- 
foot  bed  100  feet  higher  may  possibly  lie  in  the  Chester  also.  The 
sandstone   corresponding   to   the   Lindley   sand   of   the   Greenville   area 


176  YEAE-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

lies  at  871  feet.  Another  sandstone^  100  feet  thick,  lies  at  a  depth  of 
923  feet.  This  is  probably  the  Cypress  sandstone  immediately  overlying 
the  "big  lime"  or  the  St.  Louis  limestone.  The  well  had  a,  total  depth  of 
1,099  feet  and  penetrated  75  feet  of  the  massive  Mississippian  lime. 
No  oil  or  gas  was  reported  but  salt  water  was  found  at  depths  of  187, 
359,  418,  583,  741,  821,  833,  871,  and  923  feet. 

MACOUPII^    COUNTY. 

The  gas  area  near  Carlinville  was  discussed  on  p.  157.  Other  wells 
have  been  drilled  in  Macoupin  County  in  search  of  oil  and  gas.  A  wel] 
drilled  at  Medora  in  1907  yielded  gas  from  the  St.  Louis  limestone 
at  a  depth  of  325  feet.  It  was  odorless  and  apparently  similar  in 
character  to  the  Carlinville  gas.  Another  well  drilled  at  Shipman, 
about  six  miles  southeast  of  the  Medora  well,  yielded  gas  according 
to  report. 

WHITE  COUNTY. 

Two  wells  drilled  in  White  County  are  interesting  for  their  strati- 
graphic  relations.  One  of  them  was  located  in  the  S.  E.  i/4  sec.  34, 
T.  5  S.,  E.  10  E.,  and  reached  a  depth  of  2,003  feet.  Coals  were  found 
at  depths  of  94,  442,  755,  903,  and  1,228  feet.  Another  reported  at  1,757 
is  most  likely  black  slate.  The  basal  sandstones  of  the  Pennsylvanian 
rocks  were  encountered  at  a  depth  of  1,460  feet.  The  first  bed  was  24 
feet  thick  and  this  was  followed  by  51  feet  of  black  shale  and  135  feet 
of  massive  sandstone.  The  underlying  formations  consisted  of  a  suc- 
cession of  limestone  and  shale  strata.  Salt  water  sandstones  occur  at 
depths  of  300,  495,  1,405,  1,460,  1,535,  and  1,725  feet.  A  second  well 
was  drilled  near  Carmi  to  a  depth  of  1,700  feet.  Coals  were  found  at 
depths  of  889,  975,  and  1,210  feet.  The  only  massive  sandstone 
reported  lay  at  1,495  feet  and  was  65  feet  thick.  Water-bearing  sands 
were  found  at  depths  of  205,  250,  1,380,  1,495,  and  1,667. 

WABASH    COUNTY. 

A  very  interesting  record  of  a  well  drilled  in  sec.  36,  T.  1  N.,  E.  13 
E.,  near  Friendsville,  has  been  published.^  The  record  was  only  for 
1,827  feet  and  since  it  was  published,  additional  information  has  been 
received  to  a  depth  of  2,185  feet.  The  Pennsylvanian  rocks  are  1,974 
feet  deep  in  this  area.  The  top  of  the  massive  Pottsville  sand 
was  found  at  1,744  feet.  There  was  61  feet  of  sand  followed  by  17  feet 
of  shale,  and  152  feet  of  sandstone.  The  top  of  the  Chester  formations 
lay  at  1,974  feet  and  was  marked  by  18  feet  of  limestone.  The  Chester 
red  shales  were  found  from  2,095  to  2,120  feet.  The  equivalent  of 
the  Kirkwood  sand  lay  at  2,175  feet.  Abundant  salt  water  was  found 
in  sands  lying  at  822,  866,  1,031,  1,744,  1,992,  and  2,175  feet. 

Conclusion. 
In  conclusion,  the  Illinois  Geological  Survey  will  be  glad  to  confer 
with  operators  about  the  localities  pointed  out  in  this  report.     In  return 
the  Survey  would  highly  appreciate  all  available  drill  logs  for  purposes 
of  study. 

iBuU.  111.  state  Geol.  Survey  No.  8,  p.  296. 


DEWOLF.]  STUDIES  OF  ILLINOIS  COAL.  177 


STUDIES  OF  ILLINOIS  COAL. 


Contents. 

Page  . 

Introduction  by  F.  W.  DeWolf 178 

The  Illinois  coal  field;  by  A.  Bement , 182 

The  chemical  composition  of  Illinois  coal;  by  S.  W.  Parr 204 

The  geology  and  coal  resources  of  the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle;  by  G.  H.  Cady 244 

The  geology  and  coal  resources  of  the  Herrin  quadrangle ;  by  T.  E .  Savage 266 

The  geologj^  and  coal  resources  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle;  by  E.  W.  Shaw 286 

Review  of  mine  rescue  work  in  Illinois;  by  R.  Y.  Williams 295 

Diamond  drill  core  from  Franklin  County;  by  Jon  Udden 300 

Plates. 

19.  Map  showing  area  of  principal  Illinois  coal  seams 186 

20.  Map  showing  thickness  of  Illinois  coal  seams 188 

21.  Map  designating  various  Illinois  coal  fields 200 

22.  Map  showing  relative  output  of  Illinois  coal  fields 202 

23.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  West  Frankfort  quadrangle 252 

24.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle Pocket 

25.  Map  and  profiles  showing  a  minor  syncline  in  a  mine 256 

26.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  Herrin  quadrangle 272 

27.  A.  Exposure  along  Orchard  Creek  of  shale  and  sandstone  of  the  LaSalle  formation 274 

B.  Exposure  of  base  of  Petersburg  formation,  showing  Coal  No  5  and  "  nigger-beads" 274 

28.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  Herrin  quadrangle Pocket 

29.  Photograph  of  a  small  anticlinal  arch 278 

30.  Map  showing  alternative  interpretation  of  structure  in  T.  7S.,  R.  IW 280 

31.  Photograph  of  an  outcrop  of  coal  No.  6  and  its  roof-shale 282 

32.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  Murphysboro  quadrangle Pocket 

Figures. 

3.  Diagram  showing  use  of  powder  in  Illinois  coal  mines 184 

4.  Diagram  showing  rate  of  development  of  thick  and  thin  coal  localities 191 

5.  Diagram  showing  Illinois  coal  production  from  1881  to  1908 192 

6.  Apparatus  for  determining  carbon  dioxide 231 

7.  Sketch  showing  faults  in  a  mine 254 

8.  Sketch  showing  thrust  fault  in  a  mine 279 

9.  Sections  of  Coal  No.  2  showing  characteristic  parting 292 


-12  G 


178  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


INTRODUCTION. 

(By  Frank  W.  DeWolf.) 


Studies  of  Illinois  coal  in  the  mining  regions  and  in  the  laboratory 
continue  to  yield  beneficial  results.  This  work  engages  a  number  of 
the  Survey  corps  and  requires  a  large  proportion  of  the  available 
funds.  Certain  phases  of  the  studies  are  carried  on  in  cooperation  with 
other  organizations;  thus,  the  work  and  expense  of  detailed  quadrangle 
surveys  is  shared  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  and  E.  W.  Shaw,  is 
especially  detailed  to  Illinois  investigations.  The  Mine  Eescue  Service  is 
maintained  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  and  the  Engi- 
neering Department  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  E.  Y.  Williams  and 
J.  M.  Webb  represent  the  federal  bureau,  though  Mr.  Webb's  services  were 
provided  for  part  of  the  year  at  the  expense  of  the  State  Geological 
Survey.  Laboratory  studies  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr 
are  carried  on  under  informal  cooperation  with  the  Department  of  Ap- 
plied Chemistry  and  with  the  Engineering  Experiment  Station  of  the 
University.  As  before,  the  advice  and  assistance  of  various  mining 
engineers  and  commercial  chemists  is  solicited.  The  Survey  is  espe- 
cially indebted  in  this  regard  to  A.  Bement  of  Chicago  whose  paper, 
"The  Illinois  coal  fields,"  accompanies  this  report. 

The  following  articles  cover  many  phases  of  coal  investigations.  Mr. 
Bement's  paper  has  been  modified  somewhat  from  the  form  in  which  it 
was  presented  before  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers.  It  gives  an 
excellent  general  description  of  the  coal  fields,  discussing  the  distribu- 
tion and  quality  of  the  various  beds,  estimates  of  the  coal  reserves  of  the 
State,  and  the  history  of  production  of  the  several  districts.  It  is  accom- 
panied by  tables,  graphs,  and  a  number  of  maps.  These,  as  stated  by 
Mr.  Bement,  should  be  regarded,  not  as  final,  but  as  representative 
of  present  engineering  knowledge. 

The  paper  by  Prof.  Parr  presents  a  resume  of  methods  developed  for 
the  analysis  of  Illinois  coals  and  is  accompanied  by  a  complete  table 
of  face  sample  analyses.  Chemical  data  are  commonly  misinterpreted 
by  the  public,  and  this  paper  is  especially  welcome  as  an  aid  to  their 
better  understanding.  Eeference  to  studies  of  "unit  coal"  and  to  the 
composition  of  the  ash  of  Illinois  coals  is  of  particular  interest  to- 
chemists  and  engineers.  The  character  of  the  ash  may  introduce  serious 
errors  in  analysis  by  usual  methods.  The  paper  as  a  whole  constitutes  a. 
summary  of  much  of  our  research  of  the  past  five  years. 


DE  WOLFJ  STUDIES  OF  ILLINOIS  COAL.  179 

Mr.  Udden's  interpretations  of  the  Franklin  County  drill-core  is 
another  contribution  to  our  accurate  knowledge  of  coal-field  strati- 
graphy. Arrangements  have  been  made  for  other  similar  studies  in 
areas  which  are  now  being  prospected. 

The  record  of  the  Mine  Eescue  Station  for  the  year  is  presented 
in  an  interesting  article  by  Mr.  Williams.  The  public  is  already 
aware  of  the  excellent  work  done  at  the  Cherry  disaster  under  joint 
State  and  federal  auspices  but  probably  does  not  realize  the  extent  to 
which  the  Urbana  station  has  responded  to  other  calls.  Some  of  the 
work,  as  that  at  Moweaqua  and  in  the  Duquoin  area,  has  been  even  more 
hazardous  to  the  men  in  charge  of  rescue  apparatus  than  that  at  Cherry. 
It  should  be  remembered  that  the  Urbana  station  has  been  maintained 
chiefly  as  an  educational  feature,  for  demonstrating  methods  and  modern 
equipment.  While  actual  rescue  service  of  great  value  has  been  ren- 
dered, it  is  confidently  expected  that  the  State  itself  in  the  future  will 
care  for  the  majority  of  such  demands. 

The  accompanying  preliminary  reports  and  maps  of  quadrangles  in 
the  southern  coal  fields  are  contributions  of  great  value,  because  they 
represent  the  most  careful  investigations  based  on  accurate  topographic 
maps.  Similar  work  carried  throughout  the  State  will  constitute  an  in- 
ventory of  coal  resources,  in  a  large  measure  final.  The  work  has  now 
extended  entirely  across  the  southern  field  from  the  Indiana  line  to 
Murphysboro,  in  Jackson  County.  A  combined  report  on  the  whole  area 
will  be  prepared  in  the  near  future.  Coals  Nos.  5  and  6  have  been 
traced  successfully  through  the  quadrangles  and  their  outcrops  located. 
Coal  No.  2  has  been  traced  over  a  part  of  the  area  and  lower  coals  over 
a  more  limited  territory.  The  matter  of  selecting  final  subdivisions 
of  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  ("Coal  Measures")  and  a  coal  nomenclature 
for  purposes  of  mapping  and  description  can  now  be  undertaken. 

As  stated  several  times  in  these  reports,  the  First  Geological  Survey 
numbered  the  Illinois  coals,  beginning  with  Xo.  1  at  the  bottom  and 
including  No.  16  at  the  top.  While,  for  the  most  part,  the  correlations 
were  correct  from  place  to  place  a  number  of  serious  errors  were  made,  so 
that  it  is  no  longer  desirable  to  use  numbers  except  in  a  local  sense. 
Similarly,  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  were  early  divided  at  the  Carlinville 
limestone  into  Upper  and  Lower  "Coal  Measures"  but  this  division  has 
ceased  to  be  useful.  In  order  to  determine  the  best  horizon-markers  and 
the  most  useful  formation  units  for  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Kentucky, 
which  comprise  the  Eastern  Interior  Coal  Basin,  correlation  studies  have 
been  made  during  the  last  four  years,  particularly  by  Mr.  David  White 
of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  He  has  determined  by  means  of  fossil 
plants  that  the  rocks  below  Coal  No.  2  belong  to  the  same  age  as  those 
which  are  called  "Pottsville"  in  the  east.  Furthermore,  those  over  No. 
2  reaching  up  to  and  including  No.  6,  and  probably  No.  7  of  the  Dan- 
ville area,  correspond  in  age  with  the  Allegheny  formation.  Pre- 
sumably the  rocks  higher  than  No.  6  or  No.  7  are  post-Allegheny,  but 
the  division  line  has  not  been  determined  as  vet. 


180  YEAR-BOOK    FOE    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

In  the  accompanying  paper  by  Mr.  Savage,  which  describes  the  strati- 
graphy in  considerable  detail,  it  was  first  proposed  to  use  the  letters 
"A"',  "W\  "C'\  etc.,  to  designate  the  formations.  Rather  than  follow 
snch  a  temporary  system  an  attempt  is  made  to  assign  locality  names. 
The  chief  considerations  are,  first,  that  the  units  shall  be  clearly  defined 
with  reference  to  the  contained  fossils  and  lithologically ;  second,  that 
they  shall  be  applicable  to  the  whole  State  and  to  the  entire  Basin  if  pos- 
sible; third,  that  they  shall  be  based  on  boundaries  which  can  be  easily 
recognized  in  future  examinations  of  outcrops  and  of  drill  records; 
fourth,  that,  if  possible,  they  should  group  separately  the  principal 
coal-producing  formations  and  those  which  are  essentially  barren. 

The  Pottsville  Formation. 

It  is  proposed  to  designate  the  rocks  Underlying  Coal  No.  2  as  Potts- 
ville. Their  age  has  been  determined  by  David  White  to  fall  within 
the  time  interval  of  the  rocks  similarly  named  in  the  Appalachian 
fields.  They  are  found  recognizable  in  southern  and  northern  Illinois, 
in  Indiana,  and  Kentucky.  They  are  characterized  in  Illinois  lithologic- 
ally by  predominance  of  massive  sandstones  and  conglomerates,  and  the 
scarcity  of  workable  coals.  The  Pottsville  probably  has  a  maximum 
thickness  in  southeastern  Illinois  of  at  least  700  feet,  and  evenu tally  it 
may  need  subdivision. 

Tub  LaSalle  Formation. 

The  rocks  extending  from  the  base  of  Coal  No.  2  to  the  base  of  Coal 
No.  5  may  be  called  the  LaSalle  formation  because  of  its  exposure  in 
the  county  of  that  name.  Its  thickness  varies  from  160  to  190  feet  in 
northern  Illinois  and  reaches  at  least  250  to  320  feet  in  southern  coun- 
ties. The  rocks  are  shown  to  fall  within  the  Allegheny  time  interval  as 
recognized  in  the  East.  Lithologically,  there  is  great  variation  of  shale, 
sandstone,  and  occasional  thin  coal  beds. 

The  Petersburg  Formation. 

The  strata  between  the  base  of  Coal  No.  5  and  the  top  of  Coal  No.  6 
may  be  designated  as  the  Petersburg  formation,  in  approximate  harmony 
with  usage  of  this  term  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  in  the  Ditney 
folio  of  Indiana.  In  that  instance  the  base  of  the  Petersburg  is  the 
bottom  of  Coal  No.  5  and  its  top  is  the  base  of  the  Millersburg  Coal  or 
No.  7.  The  exact  correlation  of  the  Indiana  No.  7  with  coals  in 
Illinois  is  not  determined,  though  evidence  collected  by  Dr.  George  H. 
Ashley  and  the  writer^  seemed  to  indicate  that  its  position  is  just  over 
the  limestone  which,  in  Kentucky,  forms  the  roof  of  Coal  No.  11  and, 
in  Illinois,  of  Coal  No.  6.  It  is  true,  however,  that  No.  6  in  south- 
western Illinois  is  underlain  by  limestones,  unlike  the  condition  just 


1  Ashley,  Geo.  H.,  The  Coal  deposits  of  Indiana:    Thirty-third  Ann.  Rept.,  Ind-ana  Dept.  of  Geol- 
ogy and  Nat.  Res.,  1908,  p.  101. 


DEWOLFJ     '  STUDIES  OF  ILLINOIS  COAL.  181 

to  the  east  but  similar  to  the  condition  of  Xo.  7  in  Indiana.  Possibly 
Indiana  7  will  prove  identical  to  Illinois  6.  At  any  rate  it  is  desirable 
in  Illinois  to  consider  the  Petersburg  formation  as  extending  to  the  top 
of  Coal  No.  6.  The  formation  varies  from  40  to  50  feet  thick  in 
the  northern  fields,  but  in  southern  Illinois  ranges  from  as  little  as 
35  feet  to  140  feet,  or  even  more,  in  the  deeper  part  of  the  Illinois 
Basin.  Sandstone,  shale,  and  frequently  a  coal  and  a  thin  limestone 
compose  the  middle  of  the  formation.  Locally,  as  described  by  Mr. 
Savage,  limestone  predominates.  The  rocks  like  those  of  the  preceding 
formation  are  of  Allegheny  age. 

The  McLeaxsboro  Formations-. 

The  name  McLeanshoro  formation  is -proposed  for  the  rocks  overly- 
ing Coal  Xo.  6  in  Illinois.  They  are  conspicuously  shaly,  though  locally 
containing  sandstone,  limestone,  and  thin  coal.  Xone  of  the  coals  are 
known  to  be  commercially  important.  A  churn-drill  record  at  Olney, 
in  Eichland  County,  indicates  a  thickness  of  1,155  feet  but  is  not  beyond 
question.  The  strata  reach  a  thickness  of  919  feet  and  1,019  feet 
respectively  in  diamond-drill  holes  put  down  near  McLeanshoro  in 
Hamilton  County.  Since  a  core  of  one  hole  and  an  accurate  record  of 
the  other  of  these  have  been  obtained  and  are  already  published,^  they 
serve  as  suitable  descriptions  of  the  formations  at  this  time,  and  proba- 
bly better  than  can  ever  be  obtained  from  outcrops.  If  later  work 
enables  us  to  trace  the  Carlinville  (Somerville  or  Carthage)  limestone 
through  Illinois,  which  appears  improbable,  it  will  then  be  possible  to 
divide  the  McLeanshoro  formation  and  to  recognize  in  its  basal  part 
the  Millersburg  formation  of  the  Ditney  folio. 


^Udden,  Jon  A.,  The  Delafield  drill  core;  and  The  Elm  Grove  Coal  Company's  boring:     Bull.   lUf 
State  Geol.  Survey,  1906,  pp.  203-211. 


182  YEAR-BOOK    F()l{    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


THE  ILLINOIS  COAL  FIELD. 

(By  A.  Bement,  Consulting  Engineer.) 


Contents. 

Page. 

Introduction - 1S3 

Distribution  and  relations  of  the  coals 185 

Character  and  depth  of  mines 188 

Original  coal  and  future  reserves 189 

Coal  production 192 

Quality  of  Illinois  coal 194 

General ■ 194 

Coal  analyses. . .  : 196 

Physical  character  of  the  coal 197 

Description  of  the  coal  field  by  districts 199 

Plates. 

19.  Map  showing  area  of  principal  Illinois  coal  seams 186 

20.  Map  showing  thickness  of  Illinois  coal  seams 188 

21.  Map  designating  various  Illinois  coal  fields 200 

22.  Map  showing  relative  output  of  Illinois  coal  fields 202 

Figures. 

3.  Diagram  showing  use  of  powder  in  Illinois  coal  mines 184 

4.  Diagram  showing  rate  of  development  of  thick  and  thin  coal  localities 191 

5.  Diagram  showing  Illinois  coal  production  from  1881  to  1908 193 


BEMENT]  ILLINOIS  COAL  FIELD.  18H 


INTEODUCTION.^ 


The  Illinois  Coal  Field  has  produced  650,739,771  tons  of  coal  hav- 
ing a  final  value  of  at  least  $1,626,849,427,  during  which  time,  on  a 
basis  of  57  per  cent  recovery,  approximately-  490,909,029  tons  of  coal 
have  been  wasted. 

Illinois  is  the  second-largest  coal  producing  state  in  the  country, 
having  a  ^'Coal  Measure"  area,  according  to  the  authors  maps,  of  37,- 
486  square  miles,  or  66.94  per  cent  of  the  entire  area  of  the  State; 
also  according  to  best  recent  conclusions,  it  would  appear  that  it 
contains  more  unmined  coal  than  any  other  in  the  country.  Not- 
withstanding the  magnitude  and  value  of  this  great  mineral  product, 
the  people  in  general  know  less  concerning  their  coal  deposits  than  those 
of  almost  any  other  state. 

Mining  in  Illinois  has  been  a  very  simple  proposition.  Wasteful  ex- 
travagance and  crude  methods  have  prevailed,  but  the  general  awaken- 
ing of  the  people  of  the  whole  country  to  the  necessity  for  the  conserva- 
tion of  natural  resources,  and  the  fact  that  Illinois  mining  is  advancing 
into  territory  of  thick  seams  which  lie  at  considerable  depth  and  produce 
a  dangerous  amount  of  gas,  present  many  new  problems  of  engineering 
as  well  as  of  commercial  nature.  From  the  standpoint  of  posterity,  it 
is  probably  fair  to  say  that  one  of  the  misfortunes  of  the  Illinois  coal 
field  was  the  great  abundance  of  cheap  coal  available  in  the  past,  as 
this   led  to   extravagance   and   wasteful   mining   methods. 

"Wliile  Illinois  contains  a  very  large  amount  of  coal,  it  is  not  all 
available  for  mining  under  present  conditions,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  thinner  and  deeper  coal  will  always  be  at  a  disadvantage  as  long 
as  it  may  meet  competition  with  more  cheaply  mined  coal  from  this  or 
other  fields.  This  is  a  fact  that  is  usually  not  understood  in  its  full 
significance.  Eeallv,  the  question  is  not  how  much  reserve  coal  have 
we,  but  how  much  is  there  that  may  mined  to  advantage  in  competition 
with  other  fields.  When  the  problem  is  considered  from  this  standpoint, 
is  presents  itself  in  a  strange  and  startling  light.  For  example,  some 
three  or  four  years  ago  in  reporting  on  a  large  coal  proposition  for  Illi- 
nois, the  author  stated  that  the  area  of  coal  available,  in  that  instance, 
for  purchase  and  adaptable  for  competition  under  the  then-prevailing 
conditions,  was  but  one-half  of  one  per  cent  of  the  entire  field.     Such 


iThis  paper  was  presented  before  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers,  April,  1909,  but  has  been  brought 
as  nearly  up  to  date  as  possible  for  this  publication. 


184 


YEAR-BOOK    FOE    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


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YEAR. 


Fig.  3.    Diagram  illustrating  increase  for  the  past  eleven  years  in  amount  of  powder  required  per  ton 

of  coal. 


BEMENT]  ILLINOIS  COAL  FIELD.  185 

territory  would  yield  under  present  methods  of  mining,  a  recovery  of 
approximately  as  much  coal  as  has  been  already  produced,  equal  only  to 
about  ten  years^  production  at  the  present  rate. 

Thus  far  Illinois  has  not  suffered  to  the  extent  that  other  states  have 
from  large  mine  casualties,  because  there  is  only  a  compartively  small 
amount  of  gas  generated.  Operation  of  the  deep  mines  in  the  No.  6 
seam  in  Franklin  County,  however,  has  been  attended  thus  far  with 
very  disastrous  results  although  only  a  few  mines  have  reached  a  fair 
stage  of  development.  The  reason  is,  that  a  larger  quantity  of  gas  is 
given  off  in  these  mines,  which  fact  together  with  the  reckless  disregard 
of  safety  that  prevails,  changes  what  would  otherwise  be  a  good,  safe, 
field  to  a  very  dangerous  one, — giving  promise,  if  present  disregard  for 
safety  continues,  that  it  will  distinguish  itself  by  such  appalling  disas- 
ters as  have  occurred  recently  in  Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia. 
The  chief  cause  of  such  accidents  is  the  exceessive  use  of  powder,  which 
is  on  the  increase  and  threatens  to  become  still  more  serious  unless 
proper  restrictive  measures  are  enforced.  Figure  3  illustrates  the  increas- 
ing use  of  powder  per  ton  of  coal  produced. 


DISTRIBUTION  AND  RELATIONS  OF  THE  COALS. 

Maps  Nos.  1  and  2,  showing  areas  of  principal  coal  seams  and  thick- 
ness of  seams,  while,  of  course,  subject  to  revision,  possess  some  consid- 
erable degree  of  accuracy  and  real  value.  When  our  new  State  Geo- 
logical Survey  has  proceeded  further  with  the  work  laid  out,  it  will  be 
possible  to  make  still  better  maps  from  data  that  will  then  be  available. 

Only  two  divisions  have  thus  far  been  definitely  recognized  in  the 
Illinois  "Coal  Measures,"  called  "upper  and  lower,"  also  "^^arren  and 
productive,"  and  it  was  reported  by  the  first  State  Survey  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.  Worthen,  that  there  are  sixteen  coal  seams  present  in 
these  measures.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  number  is  considerably 
more.  All  of  the  seams  of  importance  are  in  the  lower  measures.  The 
use  of  numbers  to  designate  seams  was  established  years  ago,  and  has 
been  almost  universally  used.  In  reality  the  numbers  have  no  greater 
significance  than  that  of  local  names,  but  in  the  absence  of  other 
designations,  they  are  employed  in  this  paper, — which  does  not  attempt 
to  present  anything  new  of  a  geological  nature,  but  simply  to  put  to- 
gether available  data  for  present  use,  hoping  that  the  near  future  will 
present  more  complete  and  accurate  version. 

The  important  producing  seams  are  Nos.  1,  2,  5,  6,  and  7.  A  seam 
known  as  No.  5  is  operated  extensively  in  three  different  localities  in 
the  following  counties :  Fulton  and  Peoria ;  Sangamon,  Menard  and 
Logan;  and  Saline;  yet  there  is  no  assurance  that  these  beds  are  the 
same  seam,  as  it  cannot  be  directly  traced,  the  localities  being  separated 
from  each  other.  The  No.  6  seam  however,  in  the  western  part  of 
the  State  is  so  persistent  and  uniform  in  thickness  from  the  southern  part 
of   Sangamon,   that  it  may   be   readily  traced   as   far   south   as   Perry 


186 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.   16 


County  without  there  being  any  doubt  of  its  identity.  Recently, 
however,  a  question  has  arisen  whether  the  seam  operated  in  William- 
son, Franklin  and  the  eastern  part  of  Perry  and  Jackson  counties, 
formerly  known  as  No.  7,  is  the  same  bed  as  No.  6,  but  it  is  the  con- 
clusion of  Dr.  Bain,  former  State  Geologist,  and  Mr.  Frank  W.  De 
Wolf,  Acting  State  Geologist,  that  it  is  No.  6.  An  abrupt  anticline  with 
its  axis  north  and  south  at  the  town  of  Duquoin,  has  in  the  past  caused 
people  to  conclude  that  there  were  two  different  seams.  Therefore,  the 
author  has  accepted  the  corrected  version. 

Plate  No.  19  shows  areas  of  principal  coal  seams.  The  presentation 
of  areas  of  this  character  in  any  other  state  than  Illinois  would  be 
very  difficult.  Here,  however,  owing  to  the  persistence,  uniformity  in 
thickness,  and  reliability  of  the  various  seams,  it  is  possible  to  indicate 
their  presence  with  far  greater  accuracy  than  would  usually  be  consid- 
ered possible.  The  information  which  has  been  employed  is  from  the 
State  Mine  Inspection  records,  various  mining  operations  and  pros- 
pect borings,  supplemented  by  the  author's  experience  and  observation 
in  the  field.  The  statement  as  to  uniformity  and  persistence  of  seams, 
applies  particularly  to  the  western  portion  of  the  State,  so  that  in  pros- 
pecting, the  problem  is  not  so  much  to  discover  a  desirable  bed,  as  to 
prove  the  presence  and  condition  of  the  prevailing  bed  of  the  district. 
For  example,  the  author  in  the  case  of  a  continuous  field  of  65,000  acres, 
had  sufficient  confidence  in  the  territory  to  report  the  undoubted  pres- 
ence of  the  seam  at  desirable  thickness  and  condition,  which  was  after- 
ward verified  by  borings,  proving  the  accurac}^  of  previous  opinion. 


Table  No.  1. 
Output  of  princiiml  coal  seams  for  1909. 


Detailed  output. 

Total  output. 

Seam  number. 

Tons. 

Per  cent. 

Tons. 

Per  cent. 

1 

667,601 

6,293,740 

11,688 

1.34 
12.46 
0.23 

667, 601 

6,293,740 

11.688 

12,490,872 

1  34 

2 

12  41 

3. 

0  23 

5 

24  92 

5.    Saline  County 

2, 797,  261 
6,141,040 
3, 234, 725 
317,846 
29, 212, 208 
1,043,109 

5.62 
12.12 

6.50 

0.63 
59.00 

2.10 

;.. 

5.    Sangamon,  Logan,  Menard 

5.     Fulton,  Peoria 

5.    Miscellaneous  .   . 



6 

29, 212, 208 
1,043,109 

59  00 

7.             .... 

2  10 

Total 

49, 719, 218 

100.00 

49, 719, 218 

100.00 

Another  characteristic  is  that  in  a  general  field  there  is  usually  but  a 
single  seam  that  may  be  profitably  worked  at  present.  The  eastern 
edge  of  the  basin  which  is  largely  in  Indiana  and  partially  in  Illinois, 
is  quite  different.  The  seams  therein  can  usually  be  depended  upon 
as  being  irregular,  and  in  this  respect  differing  from  the  western  edge 
of  the  basin.     Saline  County  is  far  enough  east  to  be  included  in  the 


BEMENTJ  ILLINOIS   COAL  FIELD.  187 

irregular  territory,  but  extensive  prospect  borings  in  the  locality  have 
defined  the  presence  of  the  seam  with  great  accuracy,  and  the  same 
applies  in  a  measure  to  the  locality  in  Crawford  County,  while  mining 
operations  and  extensive  prospecting  in  Vermilion  County  has  quite 
fully  defined  the  thicker  part  of  the  field. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  the  great  uniformity  in  thickness  and  persistency 
of  a  seam  in  the  locality  in  which  it  is  known  to  be  present  are  such, 
that  in  former  years  many  shafts  were  sunk  from  200  to  TOO  feet 
without  previous  prospecting,  and  the  principal  cause  of  failure  (but  a 
small  percentage)  consisted  in  getting  outside  the  limits  of  the  bed. 
For  illustration,  a  number  of  shafts  720  feet  deep  at  Pana  in  Christian 
County  reached  the  Xo.  6  seam,  8  feet  in  thickness.  Following  this 
lead  in  an  effort  to  reach  the  "Pana"  seam,  a  shaft  was  sunk  about  13 
miles  north  at  the  town  of  Assumption.  It,  however,  probably  penetrat- 
ed a  pre-glacial  valley  in  which  the  seam  was  absent.  Sinking,  how- 
ever, was  continued  to  a  depth  of  1,008  feet,  where  two  seams  were  en- 
countered, which  are  usually  regarded  as  being  Xos.  1  and  2,  or,  as  the 
operator  of  the  mine  considers,  an  upper  and  lower  split  of  seam  Xo. 
2.  In  this  general  locality  there  were  some  two  or  three  other  failures, 
due  to  getting  beyond  the  boundar}^  of  the  bed  into  this  same  vaUey 
which  is  defijied  on  map  Xo.  1  (PI.  19)  as  extending  from  Madison, 
across  Montgomery  and  Christian  counties,  and  indicated  as  being  un- 
derlain with  seams  Xos.  1  and  2. 

The  Illinois  "Coal  Measures"  have,  in  the  past,  been  reported  as  hav- 
ing a  thickness  of  1,200  feet  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  This, 
however,  is  probably  underestimated,  as  the  depth  is  much  greater.  The 
State  Geological  Survey  considers  the  thickness  to  be  as  great  as  2.200 
feet.  At  the  northern  end  of  the  basin  the  thickness  is  probably  alx)ut 
600  feet. 

The  horizon  of  seam  Xo.  2  has  been  identified  by  Mr.  David  White 
from  the  northern  to  the  southern  end  of  the  State  along  the  western 
outcrop;  the  coal  bodies  below  it,  however,  are  but  little  understood. 
Several  seams  present  in  the  southern  part  are  absent  in  the  north. 
In  the  territory  attributed  on  map  Xo.  1  (PL  19)  to  seams  Xos.  1  and 
2,  it  is  probable  that  the  two  horizons  lie  close  together.  For  illustra- 
tion, the  mine  at  Assumption,  in  Christian  Count}',  penetrates  two  seams 
lying  at  about  2  feet  to  20  feet  apart,  so  that  both  are  operated  from  the 
same  bottom.  At  the  town  of  Lovington,  in  Moultrie  County,  at  a 
depth  of  886  feet,  where  a  body  of  coal  8.4  inches  in  thickness  is  being  op- 
erated the  appearance  of  the  original  drill  core  suggested  the  probability 
of  one  coal  body  being  present  above  the  other  with  no  intervening  rock 
formation.  The  State  Geological  Survey  has  now  identified  this  as  seam 
Xo.  6.  The  shaft  passes  through  eleven  thin  seams  in  a  depth  of  856  feet. 
Below  this  and  above  the  thick  coal,  there  were  two  other  seams  3.3 
inches  and  3.4  inches  in  thickness.  At  the  town  of  Mattoon  in  Coles 
County,  a  mine  long  since  abandoned,  formerly  operated  what  was  con- 
sidered seam  Xo.  2  which  had  a  thickness  of  3  feet  5  inches  at  a  depth 
of  904  feet.     These  examples,  together  with  borings  for  wells  and  other 


18^         .  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

prospect  holes,  appear  to  indicate  that  in  the  center  of  the  basin  in 
the  territory  shown  on  map  No.  1  (PI.  19)  as  being  underlain  by 
seams  Nos.  1  and  2,  and  on  map  No.  2  (PL  20)  indicated  as  being 
underlain  by  unknown  coal,  such  important  coal  bodies  as  present  are 
at  a  considerable  depth,  and  probably  of  irregular  extent  and  thickness. 
^  Faults  and  other  disturbances  are  not  numerous  and  have  had  prac- 
tically no  effect  on  mining  operations,  although  some  pronounced  dis- 
placements of  strata  are  recognized.  The  most  important  one,  an  anti- 
clinal fold  extending  in  a  southerly  direction,  enters  the  "coal  measure'' 
formation  east  of  the  city  of  La  Salle  in  the  county  of  that  name,  where 
the  St.  Peter  sandstone  is  brought  to  the  surface,  as  may  be  observed 
at  Starved  Eock  and  Deer  Park  Canon.  This  disturbance  appears  to 
extend  through  the  counties  of  Champaign,  Douglas,  Coles,  Clark,  Craw- 
ford and  Lawrence  as  indicated  on  maps  Kos.  1  and  2.  This  is  the 
line  along  which  the  producing  oil  fields  are  located,  and  for  purpose 
of  illustration,  the  coal  measure  formation  is  shown  as  being  absent 
by  a  long  gap  to  the  north,  and  in  the  southern  counties  by  small  patches 
co-incident  with  the  oil  fields.  There  is  a  large  fault  extending  on  an 
east  and  west  line  through  Gallatin  and  lower  Saline  counties.^  Its 
location,  however,  is  south  of  the  thick  coal  bed,  although  there  are 
accompanying  displacements  of  small  magnitude  further  north,  which 
do  affect  the  bed  to  a  moderate  extent.  An  anticlinal  fold  trending 
north  and  south  at  Duquoin  in  Perry  County  has  thrown  out  the  coal 
seam  at  that  point.  In  the  mine  at  Assumption  in  Christian  County 
and  m  Williamson  County,  the  author  has  observed  many  small  faults 
from  a  fraction  of  an  inch  to  a  few  inches  displacement.  The  most 
seriously  disturbed  condition  so  far  as  known  to  affect  a  coal  seam, 
is  probably  in  Fulton  and  Peoria  counties.^ 


CHAEACTEE  AND  DEPTH  OF  MINES. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Northern  and  Wilmington  fields,  the  deep 
mine  at  Assumption,  one  at  Bloomington,  one  in  Peoria  County  and 
three  at  the  cityof  Decatur,  all  mining  is  by  pillar-and-room  method, 
and  these  operators  produce  84.94  per  cent  of  the  output.  The  other 
15.04  per  cent  is  furnished  by  the  long-wall  operations,  in  which  it  has 
been  considered  that  a  recovery  of  95  per  cent  of  the  coal  is  effected. 
Mining  methods,  in  all  but  these  long-wall  fields,  under  present  con- 
dition, are  necessarily  very  wasteful,  as  pillars  are  seldom  if  ever  drawn, 
because  it  is  cheaper  to  open  new  territory  than  to  get  an  equal  tonnage 
from  pillar  coal. 

The  small  country  mines  are  very  largely  drifts  at  the  hillside  into  the 
outcropping  of  the  seam.     With  one  or  two  exceptions,  however,  all  of 

iDeWolf ,  Frank  W    Coal  investigations  in  the  Saline-Gallatin  field,  Illinois  and  the  adjoining  area 
Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8, 1908,  p.  211.  •*         ^ 

•^Udden,  J.  A.,  Defects  in  Coal  Number  Five  at  Peoria:  Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8, 1908,  p.  255. 


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ILLINOIS  COAL  FIELD. 


189 


the  shipping  mines  in  Illinois  are  operated  by  shaft.  In  the  early 
history  of  mining  there  were  a  considerable  number  of  slopes  in  the 
outcrop,  especially  in  Grund}'^  Peoria,  Fulton,  Vermilion  and  St.  Clair 
counties,  but  deyelopment  has  adyanced  away  from  the  outcropping,  so 
that  shafts  are  necessary,  and  Illinois  may  be  considered  a  locality  of  deep 
mining.  Shafts  range  from  less  than  100  feet  to  1,000  feet  in  depth,  and 
the  general  depth  is  as  follows : 

The  depth  of  Xo.  2  seam  in  the  Wilmington  Field  where  now  operated, 
is  from  90  to  196  feet;  in  the  Xorthern  Field,  from  300  to  465  feet; 
in  Jackson  County  about  150  feet. 

The  depth  to  seam  Xo.  5  in  Fulton  and  Peoria  counties  is  from  75 
to  195  feet;  in  the  Springfield  district  from  75  to  250  feet;  in  Saline 
County  from  40  to  400  feet. 
•   In  seam  Xo.  6  the  depth  yaries  from  50  to  885  feet. 

In  seam  Xo.  7  it  ranges  between  15  and  208  feet  (Danyille). 

Table  Xo.  2  shows  the  distribution  of  output  according  to  thickness 
of  seam : 

Table  No.  2. 


Tons  1908. 

Percentage. 

6,829,161 

5,567, 7S7 

3i; 514, 662 

5, 360. 842 

13  86 

Medium  coal,  4  to  6  feet 

11  30 

Thick  coal,  6  to  8  feet 

63  96 

Very  thick  coal,  over  S  feet 

10.88 

Total 

49,272.452 

100  00 

There  are  411  mines  which  ship  their  coal  by  rail.  Of  these  47  are 
operated  long-wall  and  364  by  the  pillar-and-room  method,  giying  an 
ayerage  annual  output  per  mine  of  148,795  tons  for  the  former  and 
108,361  for  the  latter,  with  about  700,000  from  one  shaft  as  a  maxi- 
mum annual  output  which  has  been  obtained  by  a  pillar-and-room  mine. 
In  addition  there  are  522  small  local  mines,  making  a  total  of  933. 


ORIGIXAL  COAL  AXD  FUTURE  EESEEYES. 

The  following  estimates  have  been  made  of  the  original  quantity  of 
coal  before  mining  began : 

F.  W.  DeWolf,  formerly  Assistant  State  Geologist   136,960,000,000 

M.  R.  Campbell,  U.   S.   Geological  Survey    240,000,000,000 

The    author    201,399,808,000 

The  figure  proposed  by  the  author  was  arrived  at  by  measuring  the 
areas  on  a  map  of  a  scale  of  one-half  inch  to  the  mile,  and  taking  the 
known  or  estimated  thickness  of  the  seam  which  gives  the  quantity  in 
tables  Xos.  3  and  4.  . 


190 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Table  No 
Known  coal  areas 

3. 

of  Illinois 

Coal 
areas. 

Coal 
beds. 

Square 
miles. 

Thickness 
in  feet. 

Tons. 

1 

Very  thick  . .  . . 

674 

9.0 
7.0 
4.0 
3.0 
1.5 

6,211,584,000 
27,833,344,000 
51,388,416,000 
31,285,248,000 
15,665,664,000 

2 

Thick 

3,883 
12,546 
10, 184 
10, 199 

3 

Medium 

4 

Thin 

Uninown 

Total 

37,486 

132,384,256,000 

The  various  areas  arbitrarily  designated  as  Nos.  1  to  4,  inclusive,  are 
also  underlain  by  other  coal  beds,  and  Table  No.  4  is  based  on  an 
assumption  that  these  areas  also  contain  quantities  attributed  to  them. 


Table  No.  Jf. 
Estimated  additional  quantity  of  coal. 


Coal  areas. 

Square  miles. 

■ 
Estimated  thick- 
ness in  feet. 

Tons. 

1 

674 
3,883 
12,546 
10,184 

6 

4 
3 

1 

4,141,056,000 
15,904,768,000 
38,541,312,000 
10,428,416,000 

2 

3 

4 

Total       

27,287 

69,015,552,000 

The  total  number  of  tons  contained  in  the  above  two  tables  is  201,399,- 
808,000. 

Calculation  shows  that  about  one-half  of  one  per  cent  of  the  amount 
of  coal  in  Illinois  has  been  exhausted,  and  such  figure  as  this  is  liable 
to  cause  one  to  feel  that  the  supply  will  last  a  very  long  while.  In  the 
past  people  have  been  led  to  believe  that  our  coal  would  last  almost 
"forever,^\  which  gave  rise  to  such  expressions  as  "inexhaustible  sup- 
ply," "fuel  reserve  to  last  for  untold  ages,"  etc.  In  this  connection  Dr. 
I.  C.  White  has  recently  shown,  that  when  the  Pittsburg  coal  seam 
is  exhausted,  certain  to  occur  in  not  much  to  exceed  fifty  years  with 
present  mining  methods,  the  industries  dependent  thereupon  will  suf- 
fer seriously,  and  these  localities  may  lose  the  industrial  supremacy 
they  now  enjoy.  In  Illinois  the  25  per  cent  of  coal  produced  from 
the  thin  and  medium-thick  seams  is  shipped  away,  and  the  State  is 
practically  dependent  for  its  fuel  supply  upon  the  product  from  thick 
seams  which  contained  originally  about  34,000,000,000  tons,  and  of 
which  930,557,872  have  been  exhausted.  While  all  the  original  coal 
remaining  is  about  99.5  per  cent,  the  fuel  supply  suitable  for  use  under 
present  economic  conditions  is  only  16  per  cent  of  the  original,  and  of 
this  3  per  cent  has  been  removed. 


ILLINOIS  COAL  FIELD. 


191 


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Fig.  4.    Rate  of  development  between  thick-  and  thin-coal  localities. 
W   Williamson  County— 9  ft.  coal. 

M    Average  of  Sangamon,  St.  Clair,  Macoupin  and  Madison  counties— 7. 5  ft.  coal. 
S     Saline  County— 6  ft.  coal. 

L     Average  of  Bureau  and  Grundy  counties— 3.25  ft.  coal. 
F    Average  of  Peoria  and  Fulton  counties— 4  ft.  coal. 


192  YEAR-BOOK   FOK    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Figure  4  illustrates  graphically  the  competition  between  the  thin  and 
thick  coal  beds  of  the  State.  After  28  years  the  leading  thin  and 
medium-thick  coal  areas  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State  although 
nearest  markets,  have  an  output  of  approximately  1,500,000  tons  per 
annum,  while  in  the  same  period  of  time,  with  no  better  start,  Will- 
iamson County  has  risen  to  nearly  5,250,000  tons  per  annum,  and  the 
average  of  four  of  the  leading  counties  in  the  central  part  of  the  State 
operating  in  seam  No.  6,  has  increased  to  an  output  of  nearly  4,500,000 
tons,  and  Saline  County  has  gone  from  350,000  to  2,500,000  in  three 
years. 


COAL  PEODUCTION. 

Table  No.  1  shows  the  coal  production  for  the  State  in  both  tons  and 
percentages  from  the  different  seams,  for  the  year  1909.  As  indicated, 
there  is  a  distinction  made  for  different  fields  in  which  seam  No.  5  is 
credited  with  furnishing  the  output.  Thus,  the  first  column  presents 
figures  of  this  detailed  classification;  the  second,  the  totals  produced  for 
each  seam. 

Continuous  detailed  records  of  Illinois  coal  production  began  only 
in  1881,  therefore  it  was  impossible  to  extend  the  tables  presented  here- 
with prior  to  that  time.  Early  records  of  coal  mining:,  according  to  the 
Coal  Eeport  of  1902,  are  very  meager.  The  first  mention  apparently  of 
coal  shipment  was  from  Jackson  County  in  1810 ;  again  in  1832  several 
boat  loads  were  sent  south  via  Mississippi  River;  in  1833  about  6,000 
tons  were  reported  as  having  been  mined  in  St.  Clair  County  and 
hauled  by  wagon  to  St.  Louis.  The  United  States  Census  in  1840  states 
that  16,968  tons  were  produced  in  that  year;  that  of  1860  gives  a  pro- 
duction of  568,000  tons.  The  next  record  is  that  of  the  census  of  1870, 
wherein  the  output  is  stated  to  be  2,624,163  tons.  The  first  State  Re- 
port, in  1881  places  it  at  2,937,776  tons.  In  arriving  at  the  total  coal 
production  given  in  this  paper,  a  curve  was  plotted  from  the  data  avail- 
able prior  to  1870,  from  which  the  output  for  this  period  was  calculat- 
ed. Betw^een  1870  and  1880  the  production  has  been  considered  as  an 
annual  average  of  that  of  1870  and  1880.  From  1881  to  1908,  figures 
are  from  the  Coal  Report  for  each  year.  Figure  5  shows  graphically  the 
increase  in  production  for  the  last  28  years. 

The  center  of  output  in  the  State  has  gradually  advanced  from  north 
to  south  as  shown  in  table  No.  5.  In  the  year  1881,  LaSalle  County 
led  in  output  with  624,900  tons;  in  the  next  year  it  still  held  place 
with  over  2,000,000,  after  which  the  center  of  production  moved  south 
until  the  county  leading  in  1907  and  1908  is  at  the  extreme  southern 
end  of  the  State.  During  the  period  of  28  years,  Macoupin  County  has 
led  in  production  8  times,  Sangamon  7,  St.  Clair  6,  LaSalle  3,  Vermilion 
2  and  Williamson  3.  The  lead  is  still  held  by  Williamson.  Thus,  the 
center  of  production  has  steadily  receded  from  principal  markets  be- 
cause of  advantages  of  thick  coal.     LaSalle   County  now  ranks  as  a 


60 


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Fig.  "j.    Diagram  showing  coal  production  in  Illinois  from  ISSl  to  1908. 


BEMENT] 


ILLINOIS   COAL    FIELD. 


19B 


producer  from  a  thin  scam,  l)iit  in  earlier  years  a  comparatively  small 
l)ocly  of  very  thick  coal  was  extensively  operated  at  the  town  of  Streator. 
and  it  was  this  which  aave  LaSalie  its  lead. 

Table  Xo.  5. 
Counties  leading  in  production  from  IHSl  to  IDOH.  inclusive. 


Chronological  arrangement. 


Arranged  according  to  tonnage. 


Year. 


County. 


Tonnage. 


County. 


Year. 


lS81i 
1882: 

188;^: 

1884' 
18S.5 
1886; 
1887 
18881 
1889 
1890! 
18911 
1892 
189.3 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899' 
1900 
1901  i 
1902 
1903' 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908! 
1909 


LaSalle 624, 

LaSalle 2.365, 

Macoupin 1. 2.33, 

Macoupin 1, 164. 

St.  Clair 1,202. 

Macoupin 1, 085, 

LaSalle 1.125. 

St.  Clair 1.184. 

Macoupin ,  1, 202. 

Macoupin '  1, 369. 

St.  Clair i  1,595. 

Macoupin !  1, 823. 

St.  Clair '  2,1.33. 

fet.  Clair '  1,623, 

Macoupin ;  1 .  948. 

Macoupin i  2, 097, 

Vermilion ,  2. 000. 

Sangamon :  1 .  763, 

Vermilion ;  2. 221, 

Sangamon ,  2. 519, 

Sangamon 2, 919, 

Sangamon i  3, 672, 

Sangamon ]  4,  .386, 

Sangamon ,  4, 516, 

Sangamon 4,  .395, 

.St.  Clair !  4,168, 

Williamson l  5. 266, 

William.son ,  5, 367, 

Williamson !  5, 869, 


Williamson 
Williamson 
Sangamon. 
.Sangamon . 
Sangamon . 
St.  Clair.... 
Sangamon . 
Sangamon . 
Sangamon . 
La.Salle.... 
Vermilion. . 
St.  Clair.... 
Macoupin.. 
Vermilion.. 
Macoupin . . 
Macoupin.. 
Sangamon. 
St.  Clair..., 
.St.  Clair... 
Macoupin.. 
Macoupin. 

St.  Clair 

Macoupin. 
.St.  Clair... 
Macoupin. 

LaSalle 

Macoupin . 
LaSalle... 


Tonnage.. 


1908 
1907 
1904 
1905 
1903 
1906 
1902 1 
1901 1 
1900 
1882 
18991 
18931 
1896 
1897 
18951 
1892' 
1898 
1894 
1891 
1890 
1883 
1885 
1889 
1888 
1884 
1.887 
1886 
1881 


5,367,14a 
5,266,452 
4, 516.  .358 
4,395,050 
4,386,526 
4,168,019 
3,672.987 
2.919,223 
2,519,911 
2,. 365, 000 
2,221,867 
2,1.33,870 
2.097,-539 
2,000,623 
1,948,992 
1,823,13& 
1.763.863 
1,623,684 
1,. 595, 839 
1,369.919 
1,2.33,200 
1,202,549 
1,202,187 
1,184,579 
1,164,409 
1,125,235 
1,085,539 
624,900 


Tahle  Xo.  G  gives  the  output  for  each  county  from  1881  to  1907,  in- 
clusive, from  which  it  appears  that  Sangamon  County  has  produced  over 
52,000,000  tons,  St.  Clair  being  second,  Macoupin  third  and  LaSalle 
fourth  in  the  list,  illustrating  again  in  a  striking  manner  the  advantage 
of  thick  coal  seams ;  even  Williamson  County,  which  is  a  new  field, 
producing  on  a  large  scale  only  a   few  years,  occupying  seventh  place. 

Table  Xo.  G. 
Coal  production  of  Illinois  counties  from  ISSl  to  1001. 


Arranged  according  to  counties. 


Arranged  in  order  of  tonnage. 


Counties. 

Tons.                                 Counties. 

Tons. 

Bond 

2. 299. 973  Sangamon 

20,226  St  Clair 

25,  Oil,  119  Macoupin 

81.4.55  LaSalle 

143. 112  Vermilion 

14.  635. 823  Madi.son 

9,  778. 275,  Williamson 

52,7.54,789 

Brown 

Bureau 

Calhoun 

Cass 

.50.  994. 386 

46,431,324 

38,493,6.30 

....      37,725.601 

Christian 

34,303,262 

Clinton 

,     29,881,544 

13  G 


194 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 

Table  No.  G — Concluded. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Arranged  according  to  counties. 


Arranged  in  order  of  tonnage. 


Counties. 


Tons. 


Counties. 


Tons. 


Coles                                                    .-   .. 

144,932 

65, 103 

796 

1,392,643 

17,900.619 

972,718 

305.193 

27, 122, 051 

21,891 

177,358 

64 

3, 855, 786 

17,491,385 

20,078 

379,311 

71,820 

124,497 

1,863,342 

1,449,022 

38,493,6.30 

7,728,428 

5,615,326 

4,  645, 487 

46,431,324 

34,303,262 

13,584,554 

601,971 

7,919,430 

2,114,159 

4,292,257 

9,516,711 

5,-337,836 

131,260 

16,741,393 

17,880,094 

135 

446. 678 

7,756,345 

3, 208, 241 

5,531,780 

52,754.789 

387,551 

511,887 

1,449,306 

646, 626 

50,994,386 

3, 472, 247 

37,725,601 

13,712 

415, 490 

1,223,775 

14,828 

5,713,735 

29,881,544 

3,743,886 

27,122,051 
25,011,119 

Edgar 

Bureau 

Effingham                                          .  . . 

Fulton 

17,900,619 
17,880,094 

Perry 

Fulton 

Jackson 

17,491.385 

Peoria 

16,741,393 

Greene 

Christian 

14  635  823 

13,584,554 
9.778,275 

Hamilton 

Clinton 

Mercer 

9,516.711 

Hardin 

Menard 

7,919,430 

Randolph 

7, 756, 345 

Jackson 

Livingston 

7, 728, 428 

Jasper 

Will....              

5,713,735 

Logan 

5,615,326 

Jersey 

Saline 

5,531,780 

Montgomery 

5,337,836 

Kankakee 

Macon .                                              

4, 645, 487 

McLean 

4,292,257 

LaSalle 

Henry 

3,855,786 

3, 743, 886 

Tazewell 

3, 472, 247 

Macon 

Rock  Island       

3,208.241 

Bond 

.  2,299,973 

Madison 

McDonough               ^ . . 

2,114,159 

Kankakee 

1.863,342 

Marshall 

Shelby                       

1,449,306 

Knox 

1,449,022 

McDonouEjh 

Franklin             

1,392,643 

Washington 

1,223,775 

Mercer 

Gallatin                     

972, 718 

Stark 

646, 626 

Marshall 

601,971 

Peoria 

Scott 

511,887 

Putnam 

446,678 

Pike 

Warren                  

415,490 

Schuyler 

387,551 

Randolph 

Jefferson                 

379,311 

Greene 

305, 193 

Saline 

Hancock                    

177,358 

144,932 

Cass 

143,112 

Scott 

Morgan 

131,260 

Shelby 

Johnson 

124, 497 

Stark 

Calhoun             

81,455 

St  Clair 

71,820 

Tazewell 

EdgaV                     '. 

65.103 

Vermilion 

Hamilton 

21,891 

Brown 

20, 226 

Warren 

Jasper 

20,078 

W^flshinp'tnn 

White                          

14.828 

White 

Wabash    

13,712 

Will 

796 

Williflmsnn 

Pike                   

135 

64 

QUA'LITY  OF  ILLIXOIS  COAL. 

General. 

Compared  with  otlier  coal  fields  of  this  countr}^,  the  qualit}^  of  Illinois 
coal  occupies  an  intermediate  position.  Table  Xo.  T  gives  the  chemical 
composition  of  the  various  important  seams  and  localities  where  exten- 
sively worked.     This  table  presents  the  coal  seams  as  they  lie  in  the 


BEMENTl 


ILLINOIS   COAL    FIELD. 


195 


ground  and  possesses  a  considerable  degree  of  accurac}^,  although,  of 
course,  more  detailed  study  will  furnish  better  values.  The  author  is 
indebted  to  Dr.  H.  Foster  Bain,  formerly  Director  of  the  Illinois  Geo- 
logical Survey,  for  some  data  concerning  seam  'No.  2  in  the  Wilmington 
and  Xorthern  Fields,  and  seam  Xo.  5  in  the  Peoria  and  Fulton  Countv 
Field. 

As  a  general  proposition  in  Illinois,  the  quality  of  coal  seams  increases 
Avith  depth,  the  lower  ones  being  superior  to  the  upper.  There  is  also 
an  increase  in  cjuality  from  the  north  to  the  south,  the  beds  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  State  being  superior,  as  a  general  proposition,  to 
those  in  the  north;  this  is  more  particularly  true  of  the  heating  power. 
A  higher  grade  of  fuel  is  produced  in  Illinois  than  is  probably  realized 
by  the  general  public.  For  example,  carefully  prepared  lump  coal  from 
Saline  County  compared  with  equally  well  prepared  Hocking  Valley 
coal  of  Ohio  is  presented  in  the  following  tabulation : 


Hocking  Val- 
ley Ohio, 
Prepared  Coal. 

Saline  County, 

lUinois, 

Lump  Coal, 

Moisture    .             .   . 

7.28 

6.40 

14,341 

12,365 

0.95 

6  75 

Ash  in  ''  dry  coal"   

6  07 

Heating  power  per  pound  in  B.  t.  u.  of  the  "  pure  coal" 

15,094 

Heating  power  per  pound  in  B.  t.  u.  of  the  "  moist  coal" 

Relative  value 

13, 181 
1  00 

Christopher,  in  Franklin  County,  produces  lump  coal  of  12,474  B.  t.  u. 
per  pound  of  the  'inoist  coal." 

The  writer  at  one  time  had  a  sample  of  coal  submitted  to  him  that 
was  reported  to  have  come  from  a  thin  seam  in  Johnson  County,  which 
is  at  the  extreme  southern  outcrop  of  the  coal  basin  in  Illinois,  and  when 
analyzed,  this  coal  gave  a  moisture  content  of  2.76  and  dry  ash,  3.40. 
The  ^^pure"  B.  t.  u.  lay  somewhere  between  15,500  and  15,700,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  sample  indicated  a  superior  quality  of  fuel. 

A  high  grade  fuel  is  prepared  in  the  form  of  washed  and  sized  coal. 
Thei;e  are  two  localities  which  lead  in  this  product ;  one  is  in  Williamson 
Coimty  and  the  other  in  Central  Illinois  in  the  lower  part  of  Macoupin 
County  and  upper  portion  of  Madison  County,  and  table  Xo.  8  shows 
the  chemical  composition  of  these  fuels. 


196 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


CoALi  Analyses. 

Table  No.  7. 

Chemical  composition  of  seams. 


Seam. 


Fields. 


No.  1... 
No.  2... 
No.  2... 
2^0.5... 
No.  5... 
No.  5... 
No.  6... 
No.  7... 


Heating  power  per  pound  in  B.  t.  u. 


Mois- 
ture. 


Ash  in 
Dry  Coal. 


Moist 
coal. 


Aimelds 

Wilmington 

Nortliern 

Springfield 

Peoria  and  Fulton 

Saline 

All  fields 

Williamson  and  Franklin 


11.57 
15.34 
14.86 
12.66 
14.67 

6.75 
14.38 

9.65 


6.27 
5.87 
10.08 
12.31 
15.10 
7.75 
11.69 
12.16 


11,915 
11,525 
11,054 
10, 990 
10,381 
12, 945 
10, 886 
11,567 


Dry 

coal. 


13,473 
13, 613 
12,983 
12,583 
12,166 
13,882 
12,714 
12, 803 


Pure 
coal. 


14,375 
14, 462 
14, 438 
14,350 
14,330 
15,048 
14,397 
14, 575 


Table  No.  S. 
Average  che^nical  composition  of  loashecl  and  sized  coal  as  received  at  Chicago. 

Williamson   County. 


Number. 

Moist  coal. 

Dry  coal. 

Moisture. 

Ash. 

B.  t.  u. 

Ash. 

B.  t.  u. 

1 

10.4 
10.6 
10.8 
11.0 
14.9 

8.56 
7.52 
7.22 
8.19 
10.07 

13,045 
13, 207 
13,249 
13,088 
12,657 

9.56 
8.41 
8.10 
9.20 
11.84 

13,182 

3^  ;;!!'';;;;;;!;!!"!;;;!!!;;!!!!;;;!;!!! 

4       

13,349 
13,394 
13,234 

5 

12,  849 

No. 


Central  Illinois. 


Moist  coal. 


Dry  coal. 


Moisture. 

Ash. 

B.  t.  u. 

Ash. 

B.  t.  u. 

1 

12. 50 
12.70 
15.00 
15.30 
17.50 

8.28 
7.74 
7.99 
8,68 
9.47 

11,026 
11,072 
10,718 
10, 580 
10. 164 

9.46 

8.87 

9.40 

10.25 

11.48 

12,601 

2    

12,683 

3 

12,610 

4                   

12,  491 

5 

12,320 

When  the  fact  is  taken  into  consideration  that  Pocahontas  coal  reach- 
ing the  Chicago  market  contains  not  less  than  (S  per  cent  ash,  it  is 
apparent  that  this  State  produces  a  muv  good  quality  of  fuel  in  these 
washed  sizes.  The  screens  used  in  it^  ])reparation  are  of  the  following 
sizes : 


BEMENT] 


ILLINOIS   COAL    FIELD. 


197 


Size. 


Over. 


Through. 


>so.  1       

IJ  inch 

Ik  inchi 

1  inch 

i  ineh| 

2\  inch 

No.  2 

If  inch 

Xo.  3       

Ig  inch 

No.  4 

1  inch 

No.  5       

i  inch 

Heating  power  values,  in  B.  t.  u.  per  })()un(l  of  "pure  coal.*"  shown  on 
map  Xo.  3  are  given  in  table  Xo.  9. 

Table  Xo.  9. 
Heating  poicer  value  for  various  coal  fields. 


Coal  No. 


'Field  name. 


Seam  No. 


Heating  power 

in  B.  t.  u.  per 

pound  of 

"pure  coal." 


liRock  Island 

2  Northern 

3|  Wilmington 

4  Peoria  and  Fulton 

5, Grape  Creek 

6;  Springfield 

7J  Virden 

81  Pana 

91  Central  Illinois i 

10:  Centralia | 

111  Duquoin I 

12  Williamson  and  Franklin 1 

13  Big  Muddy | 

14  Saline 

I  ; 


14.375 
14.  438 
14.  462 
14.  .330 
14.140 
14. 3.50 
14. 14-5 
14.22.5 
14.240 
14.390 
14.360 
14.  .575 
15.075 
15.048 


Physical  Character  of  the  Coal. 

The  following  brief  statement  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  physical 
characteristics  of  the .  important  coal  seams  : 

Xo.  1  is  a  very  clean  seam,  having  low  ash  content  as  shown  by 
table  of  analyses. 

Xo.  2  in  the  Wilmington  Field  is  a  very  clean  seam.  In  the  Xorthern 
Field  there  is  some  pyrite  present.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  State 
it  is  also  a  comparatively  clean  seam. 

Xo.  5  in  Fulton  and  Peoria  counties,  contains  a  sulphur  and  other 
bands,  which  are  separable  in  mining,  and  by  proper  preparation  a 
good  quality  of  fuel  can  be  produced.  In  the  Springfield  District  there 
are  no  sulphur  formations,  slate  bands  or  other  apparent  impurities  in 
the  seam.  The  ash,  however,  is  rather  high  and  the  coal  may  be  con- 
sidered to  a  slight  extent  as  bony.  In  this  respect  Xo.  5  differs  very 
much  from  the  Xo.  6  seam  just  to  the  south,  as  the  former  presents  a 
clean  black  face,  while  the  Xo.  6  seam  has  a  slate  and  a  number  of 
sulphur  bands.  Xevertheless,  well  prepared  lump  coal  from  Xo.  5  is 
not  as  low  in  ash  as  from  other  localities  which  carrv  the  same  total 


198  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

amount  of  ash  in  the  seam.  The  leading  characteristic  of  the  seam  is 
the  presence  of  what  are  known  locally  as  "horse  backs/'  consisting  of 
fissures  in  the  coal  seam  extending  from  the  roof  to  the  floor,  which 
where  small  are  filled  with  material- consolidated  to  a  hard  rock;  but 
where  large,  are  rather  of  clay  formation.  These  shrinkage  cracks  range 
from  a  few  inches  to  several  feet  in  width.  Properly  speaking,  these 
"horse  backs''  are  not  an  impurity  in  the  seam  from  the  standpoint  of 
coal  preparation,  because  they  exist  vertically,  and  the  seam  is  removed 
independent  of  them.  The  coal,  however,  is  hard  and  strong,  ships 
well  and  has  a  very  favorable  appearance.  In  Saline  County  the  seam 
is  very  clean,  the  only  impurity  visible  being  occasional  sulphur  balls. 
The  roof  is  generally  very  good,  although  in  a  portion  of  the  field  there 
is  a  thin  parting  lying  between  the  coal  and  the  rock  above,  that  shoots 
down  with  and  becomes  broken  up  in  the  coal,  and  requires  removal  in 
loading. 

JSTo.  6,  north  of  Perry  County,  in  addition  to  a  persistent  slate  band 
near  the  bottom  of  the  seam  ranging  usually  from  1  to  2  inches  in  thick- 
ness, contains  some  well-defined  sulphur  bands.  The  total  ash  in  the  seam 
for  Illinois  is  not  high,  however,  therefore  it  necessarily  follows  that  the 
cleaner  portion  of  the  seam  is  quite  low  in  ash,  because  a  large  percent- 
age of  it  is  present  in  the  bands.  For  this  reason  a  high  quality  of  lump, 
egg,  or  nut  coal  may  be  produced.  Eaw  screenings  from  this  seam 
contain  approximately  the  same  percentage  of  ash  as  those  from  'No.  5 
seam  in  the  Springfield  District.  East  of  Perry  County  the  seam 
presents  its  greatest  variation  in  quality,  having  the  persistent  slate 
band  of  from  1  to  2  inches  thick  near  the  bottom.  The  prevailing 
imjmrities  are  slate  bands  which  are  more  or  less  irregular  in  thick- 
ness and  presence,  together  with  iron  pyrites  which  occur  as  "sulphur 
balls,"  in  an  irregular  formation  called  "cat  faces"  by  the  miners. 
There  is  a  considerable  variation  in  ash,  ranging  from  7  per  cent  for  the 
entire  seam  to  quite  high  percentage  in  some  territory  prospected  in 
Franklin  Count}'.  In  fact  in  one  instance,  slate  bands  were  so  persistent 
and  thick  as  to  make  it  unwise  to  attempt  to  operate.  The  sulphur 
content  is  also  quite  variable,  there  being  spots  in  the  seam  where  it 
is  under  1  per  cent,  ranging  from  this  up  to  3  and  4  per  cent.-  As  an 
average,  however,  this  seam  is  lower  in  sulphur  than  any  other  in  the 
State  and  in  this  respect  is  markedly  different  from  what  it  is  in  its 
northern  and  central  areas.  In  fact,  there  are  some  spots  which  produce 
a  coal  that  will  make  a  very  good  grade  of  coke,  well  suited  for  mixing 
with  semi-bituminous  in  the  formation  of  a  high  grade  product. 

Xo.  7  is  operated  in  Vermilion  Coimty  at  and  west  of  the  city  of  Dan- 
ville where  it  has  a  thickness  of  about  5  feet,  with  rather  a  poor  roof. 
In  past  years  it  was  operated  more  extensively,  exposures  on  branches  of 
Vermilion  Eiver  affording  ready  access  to  it.  With  the  more  extended 
development  of  Coal  No.  6  in  the  Grape  Creek  district  to  the  south, 
the  output  of  No.  7  declined  rapidly  until  the  building  of  the  Illinois 
Traction  System  from  Danville  to  Champaign.  A  few  shafts  were  then 
sunk,  which  ship  over  this  electric  line.     The  seam  also  furnishes  a 


BEMENTJ  ILLINOIS   COAL    FIELD.  199 

portion  of  the  coal  used  in  the  city  of  Danville.  There  is  one  other 
shipping  mine  in  the  seam  in  Marshall  County,  although,  many  years 
ago  it  was  operated  extensively  in  the  vicinity  of  LaSalle.  A  thick 
area  of  Iso.  7  at  the  town  of  Streator  in  LaSalle  County  has  been  mined 
out.  The  seam  does  not  now  compete  with  others  outside  of  its  own 
territorv. 


DESCEIPTIOX  OF  THE  COAL  FIELD  BY  DISTRICTS. 

Map  Xo.  3  (PL  21)  shows  segregated  coal  fields,  and  Xo.  4  (PL  22), 
the  relative  annual  production  in  tons  by  shipping  mines,  for  the  four- 
teen various  districts.  There  are  excluded,  however,  from  these  maps, 
a  number  of  mines  in  territory  not  tributary  to  any  of  the  recognized 
fields  and  located  mostly  w^est  of  the  Illinois  River,  but  having,  never- 
theless, an  annual  output  of  about  1,500,000  tons. 

The  following  items  which  refer  to  the  various  fields  are  referred  to  by 
a  number  corresponding  to  that  emploved  on  the  maps  indicating  the 
fields:      . 

1.  Rock  Island  Field.  In  the  early  days  of  mining  in  Illinois,  Rock 
Island  County  produced  quite  an  important  percentage  of  the  output, 
although  from  various  small  beds  of  coal  in  seam  Xo.  1,  which  have  now 
become  largely  exhausted.  The  main  bed  is  indicated  on  the  map  as 
extending  southward  into  Mercer  County.  The  product  is  marketed 
in  the  towns  of  Davenport,  la.,  and  Rock  Island  and  Moline,  111.  In 
quality  the  coal  ranks  high. 

2.  The  Xorthern  Field  operates  seam  Xo.  2  which  has  a  thickness 
generally  of  3.5  feet.  Mining  is  by  the  long-wall  method.  The  market 
for  the  product  is  very  largely  to  the  north  and  west,  as  the  coal  is 
of  hard  and  strong  character,  and  ships  with  a  minimum  amount 
of  breakage — making  it  popular  among  country  dealers.  The  principal 
product  is  lump  coal  and  washed  screenings,  although  in  the  past  it 
has  been  lump  and  mine  run.  The  finer  sizes  have  little  value  in  a  raw 
state  on  account  of  the  fire  clay  from  the  bottom  and  other  dirt  mixed 
with  the  coal.  The  screenings  are  now  washed,  and  washed  coal  has 
become  a  product  of  importance,  finding  a  market  in  Chicago  and  else- 
where. The  cost  of  mining,  however,  is  sufficiently  high  to  prevent 
other  products  than  washed  screenings  from  competing  at  Chicago  with 
the  thicker  seams  operated  by  the  pillar-and-room  method.  Were  it  not 
for  the  high  cost  of  mining,  this  and  the  Wilmington,  or  Field  Xo. 
3,  operating  the  same  seam,  would  have  a  much  larger  output.  The  seam 
lies  at  a  depth  of  from  300  to  400  feet  and  is  commonly  known  as  the 
'Third  Yein,^'  a  name  originating  at  the  town  of  LaSalle,  at  which 
place  former  operations  were  in  seam  Xo.  T.  This  being  the  first  to  be 
worked  was  generally  spoken  of  as  the  ^"First  Yein;'^  later,  shafts  were 
sunk  to  Xo.  5,  called  the- "Second  Yein;"  still  later,  seam  Xo.  2,  being 
the  third  one  operated,  was  called  the  "Third  Yein,^'  and  this  appelation 
is  quite  commonly  used  to  designate  the  seam  operated  by  the  long- 
wall  method  in  fields  Xos.  2  and  3.     The  town  of  Streator.  some  vears 


200  YEAH-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Ago,  was  tlie  scene  of  very  active  minino-  oDcrations,  tliat  were  carried 
on  in  thick  beds  of  coal,  presumably  seams  6  and  7,  which  in  places 
came  together  so  that  the  rooms  were  driven  as  high  as  12  feet  in  some 
cases.  The  thick  bed,  however,  was  of  a  limited  area  and  has  now  been 
almost  entirely  worked  out.  Since  the  exhaustion  of  the  thicker  uppL.- 
seams,  shafts  have  Ijeen  sunk  to  Xo.  2. 

3.  The  Wilmington  Field  was  the  principal  source  of  supply  of 
bituminous  coal  used  in  Chicago  prior  to  the  advent  of  the  block  coals 
from  Indiana,  the  latter  in  large  measure  supplanting  it  until  the  thick 
seams  to  the  south  in  Illinois  took  the  lead.  Thus  Williamson  County, 
some  300  miles  away,  can  ship  any  grade  of  coal  to  Chicago  which 
Grundy  County  cannot  do,  although  only  55  miles  distant,  because  of 
high  cost  of  production,  which  overcomes  the  difference  in  freight  rate. 
As  in  the  Xorthern  Field,  seam  Xo.  2,  having  a  thickness  of  3  feet,  is 
operated  by  long-wall  method,  and  all  of  the  finer  coal  is  washed,  find- 
ing ready  market  in  Chicago,  but  the  larger  sizes,  as  with  the  Xorth- 
ern  Field,  are  shipped  principally  to  the  north  and  west. 

4.  Fulton  and  Peoria  counties.  This  is  a  field  operating  by  pillar- 
and-room  method  in  what  is  called  the  Xo.  5  seam,  having  a  thickness 
of  approximately  4  feet.  The  product,  which  is  mine  run,  lump,  egg, 
and  raw  screenings,  finds  market  almost  exclusively  west  of  the  Illinois 
Eiver  outside  of  the  State,  both  to  the  north  and  west.  This  is  a 
field  which  does  not  compete  with  the  others  of  Illinois  on  account  of 
high  cost  of  production,  due  to  the  thin  seam  and  other  raining  con- 
ditions. 

5.  The  Grape  Creek  Field  is  the  northernmost  one  producing  cheap 
coal,  wherein  the  Xo.  G  seam,  having  a  thickness  of  about  8  feet,  is 
operated  l)y  the  pillar-and-room  method.  The  product  has  found  a 
ready  market  by  a  comparatively  short  haul,  to  the  northern  portion  of 
Indiana  and  lower  parts  of  Chicago;  also  to  industries  on  the  Belt 
Railway.  The  oil  works  of  Whiting,  Ind.,  and  steel  works  of  South 
Chicago,  and  Gary,  Indiana,  are  very  large  consumers.  The  body  of  coal 
is  a  comparatively  small  one,  1nit  this  has  been  the  most  active  field  in 
Illinois;  and  while  the  character  of  the  roof  is  such  as  to  make  mining 
expensive  on  account  of  the  amount  of  timber  required,  the  large  output 
keeps  down  the  cost  of  production  to  a  low  figure. 

6.  Springfield  District.  The  l)ed  of  coal  operated  in  the  counties 
of  Sangamon,  Logan  and  ]\Ienard  is  known  as  Xo.  5.  The  seam  is 
about  5  feet  10  inches  thick,  or  approximately  6  feet,  and  the  character 
of  the  roof  is  such  as  to  allow  the  entire  height  of  the  coal  to  be 
mined,  it  not  being  necessary  to  leave  any  of  the  upper  part  of  the 
seam  for  roof.  Thus  while  a  little  thin  to  be  classed  in  Illinois  as 
"thick  coal,"  the  fact  that  the  entire  height  may  be  removed,  together 
with  the  low  mining  rate,  justifies  such  classification.  The  name, 
Springfield  District,  as  often  used,  applies  t6  a  territory  very  much 
larger  than  shown  on  the  map;  in  fact,  extending  down  to  as  far  as 
Macoupin,  Montgomery  and  Christian  counties,  but  in  this  southern 
territory  the  Xo.  6  seam  is  operated,  and  for  this  reason  a  separation  is 


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BEMENT]  ILLINOIS   COAL    FIELD.  201 

justifiable.  The  Springfield  District  is  the  northernmost  field,  next  to 
tliat  of  Grape  Creek,  furnishing  cheap  coal  at  Chicago;  in  fact,  it  com- 
petes readily  with  other  fields.  The  product  is  lum^^  egg,  mine  run,  and 
raw  screenings.  This  seam  is  rather  high  in  ash,  although  other  mining- 
conditions  are  such  as  to  insure  that  a  minimum  quantity  of  dirt  becomes 
mixed  with  the  coal.  Thus,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  ash  is  natur- 
ally rather  high,  the  product  is  about  the  same  in  this  respect  as  that 
of  other  localities. 

7.  The  Virden  Field  operates  seam  Xo.  6  which  has  a  thickness  of 
from  T  to  8  feet.  Owing  to  a  shale  parting  ranging  in  thickness 
up  to  3  feet  which  lies  immediately  over  the  coal  and  under  the  strong 
rock,  it  is  the  practice  to  leave  up  a  portion  of  the  top  of  the  seam,  form- 
ing a  roof  to  hold  the  sliale,  excepting  on  main  roads  where  the  top 
is  brnshed  to  the  rock  above,  so  as  to  make  very  fine  and  permanent 
roadways.  This  condition,  however,  changes  somewhat  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  field,  and  the  shale  is  replaced  by  a  slate  which  allows  the  full 
height  of  the  coal  to  be  mined  out,  althouo-h  the  slate  requires  timber- 
ing. Lump,  egg,  mine  ryn,  and  raw  screenings  are  produced.  There 
are  only  two  washers  in  the  field,  as  it  a  rather  dry  locality,  and  does 
not  afford  proper  water  supply  for  washing.  This,  like  the  Springfield 
District,  finds  very  ready  market  at  Chicago,  and  is  al)le  to  compete 
quite  freely  in  the   State. 

8.  The  Pana  Field  operates  in  the  Xo.  6  seam,  which  has  a  tliick- 
ness  of  abont  8  feet  with  good  roof  conditions.  Lump,  egg  coal,  mine 
run,  and  washed  and  raw  screenings  are  produced.  The  product  finds 
ready  entrance  to  Chicago  via  the  Illinois  Central  and  Chicago  c^  East- 
ern  Illinois  Eailways,  l)ut  fields  much  further  south  in  tlie  Xo.  6  seam 
cannot  readily  reach  Chicago. 

9.  Central  Illinois  Field  includes  ^ladisou,  Clinton,  Wasliington,  St. 
Clair  and  Eandolph  counties.  All  operations  are  in  the  Xo.  6  seam, 
having  a  thickness  of  from  T  to  8  feet.  This  is  the  territory  immediate- 
ly adjacent  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  from  which  that  city  gets  most  of  its 
fuel  snpply.  In  general,  mining  conditions  are  good,  especially  in  St. 
Clair  and  Clinton  counties.  The  roof  in  Madison  County,  however, 
requires  mnch  timbering.  The  product  is  principally  lump,  egg,  mine 
run,  and  screenings,  the  latter  of  which  is  shipped  both  raw  and  washed. 
There  is  a  large  number  of  washers  in  the  lower  part  of  Macoupin 
and  also  in  Madison  Countv ;  in  fact,  this  locality  and  Williamson  County 
are  the  most  active  points  for  coal  washing  in  the  State. 

10.  The  Centralia  Field  is  a  very  active  locality  with  six  mines  oper- 
ating in  the  Xo.  6  seam  which  lies  at  considerable  depth,  and  is  of 
good  quality. 

11.  The  Duquoin  Field  in  the  Xo.  6  seam  produces  a  slightly  l)etter 
quality  of  coal  than  districts  to  the  north  in  the  same  seam.  This  fact  and 
com])etitive  conditions  separates  it  in  the  classification  from  that  of  the 
Central  Illinois  Field;  otherwise,  the  remarks  concerning  the  other 
fields  operating  in  this  seam  to  the  north  apply  to  it. 


202  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909,  [bull  no.  16 

12.  The  Williamson  and  Franklin  County  Field  is  now,  everything 
considered,  the  most  important  in  the  State.  The  coal  seam,  which  aver- 
ages 9  feet  in  thickness  and  ranges  as  far  as  known  from  8  to  12,  is 
overlain  by  a  shale  roof  of  such  character  that  a  portion  of  the  coal  is 
left  up  for  a  roof.  This  may  readily  be  done  on  account  of  its  great  thick- 
ness. It  is  the  most  important  district  in  the  State  for  the  production  of 
prepared  fuels,  as  a  very  large  portion  of  the  fine  coal  is  washed  and 
graded  into  five  sizes.  In  fact,  in  some  instances,  there  is  no  effort 
put  forth  to  restrict  the  amount  of  fine  coal  made,  because  it  is  consid- 
ered more  desirable  to  produce  the  prepared  sizes  for  market  than  lump 
or  egg  coal.  Not  all  of  the  fine  coal,  however,  is  washed ;  a  considerable 
percentage  of  high  grade  raw  screenings  is  shipped.  The  field  competes 
readily  with  the  rest  of  the  State. 

13.  Big  Muddy  Field.  The  No.  2  seam  is  operated  and  has  a  thick- 
ness of  6  feet.  It  produces  coal,  which  in  the  past  has  had  a  reputation 
of  being  -the  best  in  the  State,  but  the  bed  is  of  limited  extent.  This 
field  enjoys  a  ready  market. 

14.  The  Saline  County  Field  is  the  newest  and  in  respect  to  quality  of 
product,  the  most  important  in  Illinois.  Unlike  the  other  principal  coal 
fields,  the  seam  is  not  of  a  uniform  thickness,  but  ranges  from  4  to  8 
feet.  Mining  conditions  are  exceptionally  favorable ;  a  strong  rock  roof 
making  it  possible  to  drive  very  wide  entries  and  room  necks,  so  that 
cost  for  narrow  work  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  Until  recently  the 
field  suffered  from  lack  of  transportation,  the  outlet  being  by  way  of 
the  Cairo  Division  of  the  Big  Four  Eailway,  which  was  not  suited  to 
the  economical  transportation  of  coal.  Since  this  line  has  been  improved, 
the  percentage  of  increase  has  been  much  more  rapid  than  that  in  any 
other  coal  field  in  the  history  of  mining  in  Illinois.  The  field,  how- 
ever, does  not  compete  to  any  great  extent  with  other  Illinois  fields, 
its  coal  having  found  a  market  of  its  own,  largely  owing  to  the  favor- 
able outlet  furnished  by  the  connecting  railway,  and  the  quality  of  its 
product. 


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PARR]  COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL.  203 


THE  CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  OF  ILLINOIS  COAL. 

(By  S.  W.  Parr.) 


coxtexts. 

Page. 

Introductory 204 

Publication  of  coal  data 205 

Face  samples 206 

Geological  seams 207 

Terms  relating  to  moisture 207 

Calculations 209 

The  proximate  analysis  of  coal 210 

Ash 210 

The  calorific  value 211 

Unit  coal 211 

Interpretation  of  results 221 

Introductory 221 

Heat  values 222 

Volatile  matter  and  fixed  carbon 224 

Ash 225 

Sulphur ; .  226 

Moisture 227 

The  ash  of  Illinois  coals  with  special  reference  to  its  calcium  carbonate 228 

The  composition  of  Illinois  coal  as  determined  by  the  method  of  ultimate  analysis 234 

Composition  of  ash 238 

FlGL-RES. 

6.    Apparatus  for  determining  carbon  dioxide 231 


204  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


XTKODUCTORY. 


With  the  re-establishment  of  the  Illinois  Geological  Survey  at  the 
close  of  the  year  1905,  very  favorable  consideration  was  given  to  the 
inauguration  of  an  extended  series  of  investigations  on  coal.  While 
work  of  this  sort  had  been  carried  on  by  the  Division  of  Applied  Chem- 
istry for  five  years  previous,  a  serious  handicap  was  recognized  in  thai 
the  samples  worked  upon  were  taken  in  a  haphazard  manner,  seldom 
under  the  supervision  of  the  laboratory  staff,  and  were  very  frequently 
of  the  sort  usually  designated  as  hand  samples,  or  lumps  selected  at  ran- 
dom and  possibly  at  times  with  reference  to  their  superior  quality. 
Under  the  new  auspices,  however,  an  entirely  different  procedure  was 
made  possible,  wherein  samples  were  taken  by  members  of  the  survey 
or  cliemical  staff  especially  qualified  for  such  work.  The  coal  data, 
therefore,  that  has  been  accumulated  in  the  last  five  vears  under  these 
more  exact  and  impartial  conditions  is  considered  to  be  of  unusual  value 
and  siiould  take  precedence  of  the  data  which  accumulated  previously. 
This  statement,  however,  refers  not  to  the  character  of  previous  work 
but  to  the  samples  as  submitted  for  analysis. 

The  samples  upon  which  this  report  is  based  have  been  taken  under 
two  conditions  and  re})resent  broadly  two  different  phases  of  study: 
First,  in  face  i^amples,  taken  from  the  relatively  recent  working  sur- 
face of  the  seam  ;  second,  rommrrcial  sa))}j)les,  or  tliose  collected  under 
conditions  tliat  oi'dinarily  accouipanv  tlie  liandliug  and  transportation 
of  coal. 

It  is  under  tlie  first  heading  that  the  greatest  number  of  samples  have 
l)een  coHected  and  the  uiost  extended  studies  have  been  made.  This 
was  tlie  natural  order  both  l)ecause  of  the  bearing  the  results  would 
have  on  the  geological  questions  of  correlation,  character,  composition, 
etc.,  of  the  various  seams,  and  also  because  a  knowledge  was  necessary 
of  the  fundamental  chemical  characteristics  relating  to  composition,  to 
the  ability  to  differentiate  sharply  between  the  organic  and  inorganic 
constituents,  to  the  development  of  a  reliable  unit  as  a  basis  of  compari- 
son, and  to  the  study  of  progressive  changes  affecting  the  value  of  the 
coal  from  the  time  of  mining  till  delivered  to  the  consumer.  All 
these  features,  and  others  which  might  l)e  enumerated,  were  fundamental 
matters  of  investigation  before  satisfactory-  nrogress  could  be  made  under 
the  second  heading,  because  of  their  l)earing  or  contribution  to  the  facts 
that  might  develo])  iu  tlie  study  of  coal  as  a  {-onnuercial  coiumodity.     Tn 


PARR]  COMPOSITION    OF    ILLINOIS    COAL.  205 

i\u<  way  it  lias  come  about,  tlierefore,  that  ai:)proximately  250  face  sam- 
ples have  l)een  taken  and  subjected  to  the  fundamental  determinations 
such  as  moisture,  ash,  sulphur,  and  calorific  values.  In  addition,  specific 
studies  as  to  peculiarities  of  ash,  distribution  of  certain  unusual  consti- 
tuents, ultimate  composition  of  both  organic  and  mineral  substances, 
etc.,  have  been  carried  on  over  a  sufficiently  large  number  of  samples, 
or  of  wide  enough  distribution,  to  establish  the  facts  involved  or  the 
formulation  of  conclusions  of  a  general  character.  Doubtless  no  other 
opportunity  of  equal  advantage  has  ever  been  offered  for  the  study  of 
coal,  at  least  not  in  this  mid-continental  field  where  the  character  of  the 
coal  and  the  associated  material  is  marked  by  such  distinct  properties 
as  to  make  this  study  one  of  prime  importance  for  the  region  involved. 

Under  the  second  heading,  studies  of  coal  under  commercial  condi- 
tions, it  has  proved  to  be  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  approximately 
coincident  with  the  inauguration  of  the  work  under  the  State  Geo- 
logical Survey  there  was  established  the  Illinois  Engineering  Experi- 
mental Station  at  the  University  of  Illinois.  The  investigations  on 
coals  for  the  Station  are  also  deleq-ated  to  the  Division  of  Applied 
Chemistry.  In  this  way  the  work  of  each  organization  has  been  of  value 
to  the  other,  and  the  data  thus  accumulated  from  both  sources  has  been 
of  very  marked  value  to  all  interests  concerned.  The  samples  from  the 
Engineering  Experiment  Station  have  been  taken  under  commercial 
conditions,  and  the  studies — such  as  deterioration,  weathering,  oxidiz- 
ing temneraturcs,  etc.. — have  been  primarily  of  industrial  interest. 

The  discussion  here  taken  up  will  deal  first  with  the  studies  of  corapo- 
>iticn.  etc..  of  the  face  samples,  interpretation  of  results,  etc..  followed 
h\  a  study  of  specific  characteristics  and  extended  analyses  of  some  of 
the  more  important  components. 


PUBLICATIOX  OF  COAL  DATA. 

There  is  a  very  general  demand  for  information  concerning  tlie 
chemical  composition  of  Illinois  coal.  This  demand  comes  from  the 
coal  operators  themselves,  from  dealers,  and  from  users  generally:  the 
idea  being,  in  the  main,  to  arrive  at  some  comparative  estimate  of  the 
value  of  different  coals  of  the  State.  The  analytical  data  that  have 
accunuilated  as  a  result  of  these  investigations  should  certainly  be  made 
available  to  all.  but  the  very  great  facility,  which  seems  common,  to  mis- 
interpret and  misuse  the  results  of  coal  analyses  seems  to  call  for 
some  explanation  as  to  their  meaning.  This  discussion  will,  therefore, 
take  up  first  the  main  points  which  may  in  any  way  contribute  to  a 
better  understanding  of  the  results  of  chemical  work.  In  the  first  place 
an  explanation  of  terms  as  made  use  of  in  the  tables  will  help  toward  an 
understanding  of  results  thus  assembled.  After  such  description,  there 
will  be  taken  up  the  interpretation  of  the  results  of  analyses  as  set 
forth  in  the  tables. 


206  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Face  Samples. 

Face  samples  are  understood  to  be  taken  from  the  working  faces 
of  the  seams  recently  exposed  by  mining  the  coal.  Ttie  method  of  tak- 
ing these  samples  is  as  follows:  An  oilcloth  is  spread  upon  the  floor 
immediately  at  the  base  of  the  vein,  and  with  a  pick  a  strip  of  coal  4  to  6 
inches  in  width  is  cut  from  the  entire  face  of  the  bed  to  a  depth  of  5 
or  6  inches.  In  the  process  of  cutting  down  from  the  top  to  the  bottom 
any  bands  of  slate,  shale,  or  other  foreign  matter  which  exceeds  a 
thickness  of  one-half  inch  is  thrown  out.  The  total  sample  thus  resem- 
bles in  a  general  way  the  material  which  is  supposed  to  accumulate 
from  the  actual  operation  of  the  miner  himself,  under  the  best  prac- 
tice. The  large  sample  thus  collected  is  removed  to  a  clean,  level  spot 
or  platform  and  broken  down  quickly  so  that  the  large  lumps  are  fairly 
well  reduced  to  nut  size  or  smaller.  This  is  made  into  a  conical  pile 
and  quartered,  rejecting  the  opposite  quarters,  and  again  piled  and  quar- 
tered, reducing  the  size  of  the  particles  by  crushing  as  the  sample  grows 
less  in  amount,  until  practically  a  buckwheat  size  remains  and  the  total 
sample  is  reduced  by  this  quartering  process  to  approximately  two 
pounds  in  weight.  The  samples  collected  during  the  last  season  and 
representing  one-third  of  those  discussed  here,  were  broken  so  as  to 
pass  a  screen  with  half-inch  meshes,  and  thoroughly  mixed  before  quar- 
tering. This  is  the  method  now  followed.  The  entire  sampling  process 
must  be  accomplished  in  the  least  possible  time  in  order  to  avoid  the  loss 
of  moisture,  which  has  a  tendency  to  escape  from  the  coal  as  the  lumps 
are  broken  down  and  reduced  in  size.  The  final  sample  of  about  two  (2) 
pounds  is  placed  in  a  metal  can  with  a  top  which  is  firmly  screwed  into 
place  and  further  sealed  by  winding  about  the  cap  a  strip  of  electrician's 
tape.  In  this  form  it  is  forwarded  to  the  laboratory,  where  it  is  at 
once  emptied  upon  a  tray  and  weighed.  After  exposure  to  the  air  of  the 
laboratory  for  twentyfour  to  forty-eight  hours,  it  is  re-weighed  and  the 
difference  in  weight  is  designated  as  loss  of  moisture  upon  air  drying. 

From  a  consideration  of  the  description  of  the  method  of  taking  a 
face  sample,  it  will  be  evident  that  it  must  differ  in  certain  particulars 
from  the  coal  as  mined  and  made  ready  for  the  market.  In  the  first 
place,  provision  is  made  in  the  method  described  for  taking  careful  ac- 
count of  the  moisture  content  of  the  coal  as  it  exists  in  the  bed  itself, 
while  the  commercial  sample  may  differ  greatly  so  far  as  the  water  con- 
tent is  concerned.  Again,  there  may  be  no  strict  agreement  in  the  two 
samples  with  respect  to  the  amount  of  extraneous  matter,  such  as  the 
partings  or  bands,  dirt  or  shale  of  the  floor  and  roof,  all  of  which  enter 
into  and  vary  in  the  commercial  sample  to  a  greater  or  less  degree.  In 
considering,  therefore,  the  analysis  from  any  particular  mine,  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  face  sample  may  vary  in  certain  particulars, 
and  an  examination  of  the  values  obtained  from  face  samples  alone  may 
be  misleading  so  far  as  the  commercial  output  is  concerned.  However, 
certain  other  items  of  information  are  gained  by  a  study  of  the  face 
samples,  which  have  both  a  scientific  and  a  practical  bearing,  and  it  is 
:for  this  reason  that  the  accompanying  tables  are  presented. 


parr]  composition  of  illinois  coal.  207 

Geological  Seams. 

The  designation  of  coal  by  its  geological  seam  is  not  always  properly 
understood.  According  to  the  practice  of  earlier  geologists  the  coal 
seams  occurring  in  the  Illinois  •'Coal  Measures'^  were  numbered  from 
the  bottom  upwards  and  inclnded  all  known  beds  of  coal  whether  of 
commercial  and  industrial  interest  or  not.  The  recognized  number 
of  such  seams,  geologically,  was  sixteen  (16),  but  the  number  now  con- 
sidered available  for  working  is  only  seven.  •  The  designation  of  the 
geological  seam  in  this  report  is,  therefore,  in  conformity  to  their  geo- 
logical numbering  from  the  bottom.  This  explanation  seems  necessary 
for  the  reason  that  in  some  places  coals  are  known  under  a  different 
designation  as  to  seam,  as,  for  example,  in  the  order  of  their  occurrence 
from  the  top.  They  may  be  "second  vein"  coal,  "third  vein"  coal,  etc. 
These  expressions  have  a  purely  local  significance  and  are  not  taken 
account  of  in  the  tables. 

It  must  be  noted  that  the  tables  have  l)een  divided  into  sections, 
giving  each  geological  seam  its  own  division.  This  has  been  done  for  the 
purpose  of  studying  the  composition  of  each  seam  separately  in  order 
to  detect  any  characteristics  of  a  chemical  nature  that  might  pertain  to 
the  different  geological  deposits.  For  a  similar  reason  one  of  the 
seams  has  been  further  subdivided  into  groups  according  to  their  geo- 
graphical distribution.  A  discussion  of  this  phase  of  the  matter  will  be 
taken  up  later. 

Tpzrms  Kelatixg  to  Moisture. 

It  must  be  evident  from  what  has  l)een  said  in  the  description  of  the 
method  of  taking  samples  that  the  moisture  content  of  coal  is  a  variable 
which  is  very  difficult  to  control,  and  it  may  differ  widely  under  dif- 
ferent conditions  of  handling.  The  two  extreme  conditions,  so  far  as 
moisture  is  concerned,  which  may  l)e  measured  with  accuracy  are :  First, 
the  coal  as  it  occurs  originally  in  the  seam;  second,  the  coal  as  pre- 
pared by  artificial  drying  and  the  driving  out  of  the  moisture  content. 
Since  the  intermediate  stages  are  altogether  variable,  especially  under 
the  commercial  conditions  of  transportation,  screening,  storage,  etc., 
no  moisture  values  are  given  in  the  table  for  such  commercial  coal,  for 
the  reason  that  it  would  be  a  variable  and  would  not  serve  as  a  constant 
condition  of  reference.  The  question  may  be  raised  also  as  to  the 
value  of  the  results  given  upon  the  coal  with  all  the  moisture  content  as 
it  occurs  in  the  seam.  In  this  connection  it  may  l^e  said  that  a  very 
large  percentage  of  the  coal  is  weighed  at  the  mine  and  settled  for  upon 
the  basis  of  the  mine  weights.  The  moisture  content  of  such  coal  will 
agree  very  closely  with  the  moisture  content  of  the  face  samples  as 
received  at  the  laboratory-.  ^loreover.  the  original  content  of  moisture 
may  be  made  a  l)asis  for  estimating  the  resulting  content  of  moisture 
when  subject  to  ordinary  transportation  and  storage  conditions,  that  is, 
a  coal  which  starts  out  in  its  original  form  with  lo  per  cent  of  mois- 


208  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [hull.  no.  16 

ture  will  probably  reach  the  consumer  after  a  few  days  in  transit  with 
from  10  to  12  per  cent  of  moisture,  depending  largely  upon  weather 
conditions.  Similarly,  a  coal  which  starts  out  with  8  or  9  per  cent , of 
moisture  will  lose  its  proportionate  amount  under  similar  conditions. 
The  initial  water  content,  theiefore,  will  really  be  about  as  good  an 
index  to  what  this  ingredient  will  ultimately  become  as  a  value  ob- 
tained upon  a  commercial  sample,  for  which  the  time  and  weather  con- 
ditions are  either  unknown  or  altogether  variable  in  their  effect. 

For  many  purposes  of  the  engineer  it  is  essential  that  this  variable 
be  entirely  eliminated  and  the  remaining  constituents  known  uj)on  a 
moisture-free  basis.  This,  therefore,  is  logically  the  only  method  which 
seems  proj)er  for  reporting  these  values. 

The  tables  as  presented  are,  therefore,  arranged  with  these  facts  in 
view,  and  the  chemical  composition  is  indicated  for  the  two  extremes 
of  moisture ;  first,  the  total  content  or  "as  received''  l)asis,  and  second, 
the  moisture-free  or  "dry"  condition.  In  this  connection  attention 
should  be  called  to  the  fact  that  a  wide  opportunity  exists  here  for  mis- 
interpreting or  misquoting  the  values  in  connection  with  these  chemical 
data,  since  all  values  vary  under  the  one  heading  from  those  which 
would  exist  under  the  otiier.  Whatever  values,  therefore,  are  under 
consideration,  they  should  always  be  accompanied  by  a  statement  as  to 
Avhich  is  the  basis  of  reference.  This  leads  directly  to  a  discussion  of 
certain  technical  terms  which  are  used  in  this  connection. 

In  coal  literature  terms  are  frequently  met  with,  such  as  "wet  coal,"' 
"drv  coal,"  "air-dried  coal,"  etc.  ^hich  ambiguity  exists  with  reference 
to  the  meaning  of  these  terms,  which  it  is  the  purpose  of  this  ])aragra]5h 
to  explain.  We  may  group  these  expressions  under  three  headings  with 
svnonomous  terms  under  each  as  follows : 
f  Wet. 

1.  -{  As  received. 
[  As  fired. 

f  Air-dry. 

2.  ■\  Commercially  dry. 
(   Commercial. 

f  Dry. 

3.  <j   Oven-dry. 

[  Moisture-free. 

A  great  deal  of  misunderstanding  will  be  avoided  if  we  will  remember 
that  "the  three  terms  under  each  heading  are  synonomous,  and  that 
each  term  is  also  a  technical  one  used  in  a  specific  sense  and  carrying 
with  it  a  meaning  which  may  not  conform  strictly  to  the  everyday  use  of 
the  term.  For  example,  "dry  coal"  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  coal 
which  appears  dry  and  which  is  free  from  water  in  such  amount  as  to 
make, it  seem  wet;  but  technically,  the  word  has  a  s])ecific  meaning, 
es])eciaUy  in  engineering  literature  relatiu^r  to  fuels,  and  means  coal 
which  ha?,  been  oven-dried,  and  for  which  the  com])()sition  and  the  vari- 
ous percentage  results  refer,  .therefore,  to  the  moisture-free  condition. 
Similarlv,  "wet  coal"  is  not  necessarily  wet  in  the  everyday  sense  of 
■  that  term,  l)ut  is  the  material  with  all  the  water  content  present  which 


PARR]  COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL.  209 

existed  at  the  time  of  taking  the  sample  ov  of  weighing  the  same,  or  of 
settling  for  the  same,  or  at  the  initial  time  when  consideration  of  the 
particnlar  sample   was   taken   in   hand. 

One  thing  further  should  be  said  in  this  connection.  The  chemist 
makes  a  practice  of  bringing  the  wet  coal  or  the  coal  as  received  to  the 
air-dry  condition  by  the  method  as  outlined  under  the  first  heading  (p. 
206).  This  is  for  the  purpose  of  having  the  sample  as  near  the  hydro- 
scopic condition  of  the  air  as  possible  so  that  it  will  neither  lose  nor 
gain  moisture  in  the  process  of  weighing,  storage,  etc.  His  results  are 
all  obtained  in  his  analytical  process,  therefore,  upon  the  coal  in  the  air- 
dry  condition.  If,  now,  he  reports  his  data  in  this  form,  they  will  be 
misleading  and  possibly  of  no  use  either  to  the  engineer  or  operator 
without  being  calculated  over  to  the  as-received  or  to  the  dry  basis. 
This  calculation  the  chemist  should  make,  but  some  confusion  seems  to 
exist  as  to  the  method  of  making  such  calculation,  so  a  brief  outline 
is  o-iven  under  the  next  headino-. 

CALCULATIONS. 

The  first  value  obtained  in  each  sample  received  in  the  wet  condition 
is  the  loss  on  air-drying.  This  is  in  percentage  of  the  wet  coal.  The 
values  for  moisture,  ash,  volatile  matter,  etc..  are  then  obtained  in  per- 
centage of  the  air-dry  condition.  Each  of  these  constituents,  therefore. 
Avill  be  that  percentage  part  of  the  wet  coal  which  would  be  repre- 
sented by 

1.00 — (loss  on  air  drying)  X  the  several  values. 
That  is,  if  the  loss  on  air  drying  were  5  per  cent  of  the  wet  coal,  and  the 
ash  in  the  air-dry  coal  were  10  per  cent,  then  10  per  cent  of  the  ash  in 
the  dry  coal  would  be  the  same  as  10X(1.00 — .05)  of  the  Avet  coal,  or 
9.5  per  cent  of  the  wet  coal.  To  formulate  this  method  of  calculation, 
then,  we  would  say :  ^Multiply  each  percentage  constituent  of  the  air-dry 
coal  by  (1.00 — loss  on  air  drying).  If  the  moisture  in  the  air-dry  coal 
were  6  per  cent  then  this  moisture  by  the  formula  (()X.95)  would  amount 
to  5.T  per  cent  of  the  wet  coal :  but  there  is  5 -per  cent  of  moisture  belong- 
ing to  the  moisture  of  the  Avet  coal,  making,  therefore,  a  total  moisture 
content  in  the  wet  coal  originally  of  10.7  per  cent.  Each  of  the  other 
constituents  would  be  found  by  simply  multiplying  the  air-dry  coal 
percentage,  by    1.00—1    (where    1    re])resents    the    loss    on    air-drving). 

Again,  to  pass  from  the  air-dry  basis  to  the  dry  coal,  each  constituent 
on  the  air-dry  basis  is  such  part  of  the  dry  coal  as  would  be  represented 
by 

1.00 — moisture  in  the  air  dry  coal. 

The  constituents  on  the  new  basis,  therefore,  would  be  found  l)y  divid- 
ing the  air-dry  values  by  (1.00 — percentage  of  moisture  in  the  air-drv 
substance.)  That  is,  if  the  air-dry  coal  has  10  per  cent  of  ash  and  6 
per  cent  of  moisture,  then  the  dry  coal  will  have  a  percentage  of  ash 
represented  by  10/.94,  which  would  be  10. 03.     The  formula  for  this  cal-' 


■14  Ct 


210  YEAE-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

dilation,  therefore,  would  be:  Divide  the  values  obtaiued  on  the  air- 
dry  basis  by  1.00 — ni  (where  m^moisture),  being  careful,  of  course,  to 
omit  a  value  for  moisture  in  the  dry  coal.  The  constituents  upon  any 
particular  basis  should  foot  up  to  100  per  cent. 

The  Proximate  Analysis  of  Coal. 

Coal  may  be  subjected  to  either  the  ultimate  or  proximate  method 
of  analysis.  In  the  former,  besides  the  moisture,  ash,  and  sulphur 
percentages,  a  determination  is  made  of  the  constituent  elements  com- 
prising the  organic  substance  of  the  coal;  namely,  carbon,  hydrogen, 
nitrogen,  and  oxygen. 

In  the  proximate  method  besides  the  moisture,  ash  and  sulphur,  there 
is  determined,  instead  of  the  elemental  substances  of  the  organic  part^ 
only  the  volaltile  matter,  sometimes  called  "volatile  combustible,''  and 
the  fixed  carbon.  The  results  from  the  proximate  analysis  only  are  given 
in  the  first  series  of  tables.  The  chief  characteristic  of  this  method 
is  the  showing  it  affords  of  the  relative  amounts  of  volatile  matter  and 
fixed  carbon.  These  terms  are  self-explanatory  and  need  no  further 
definition. 

The  volatile  matter  and  fixed  carbon  constitute  the  "combustible 
matter''  as  defined  by  many  engineers.  Much  of  the  volatile  matter, 
however,  is  actuall}^  not  combustible.^  For  other  inaccuracies  connected 
with  this  term  see  under  "Ash,"  below  et  seq. 

ASH. 

Ash  is  the  inorganic  constituent  of  the  coal  aside  from  water.  It  i& 
the  residue  left  after  burning  and  is  made  up  of  complex  substances 
such  as  sand,  shale,  kaolin,  gypsum,  calcium  carbonate,  iron  pyrites,  etc. 
From  this  list  it  is  evident  that  there  is  much  opportunity  for  loss  of 
constituents  such  as  combined  water  and  carbon  dioxide  in  the  process 
of  burning,  which  if  not  corrected  for  come  to  be  reckoned  as  part  of  the 
combustible  matter.  There  has  come  to  be,  therefore,  in  connection 
with  the  ash  determination,  two  terms  expressive  of  this  material, 
namely:  "Ash  as  weighed"  or  simply  "ash,"  and  "corrected  ash."  In 
order  to  make  proper  correction  for  ash  of  Illinois  coals  it  is  neces- 
sary to  add,  (a)  for  the  water  of  hydration  which  accompanies  all 
clayey  substances,  approximately  8  per  cent  of  such  material  to  repre- 
sent that  correction;  (b)  a  correction  for  sulphur  which  includes  the 
addition  of  five-eighths  of  the  sulphur  content  to  represent  the  difference 
in  weight  between  the  iron  pyrites  (FeS2),  and  the  form  assumed  in 
Imrning  to  iron  dioxide  (FfegOg),  the  oxygen  in  the  latter  case  repre- 
senting only  three-eighths  of  the  weight  of  the  sulphur  present  in  the 
first  case;  (c)  not  infrequently  a  correction  for  calcium  carbonate, 
which  may  be  present  in  appreciably  large  amounts.  In  this  case  the 
carbon  dioxide  is  added  to  the  weight  of  the  ash  as  determined  by  blast- 
ing at  high  temperatures  to  a  constant  weight. 

The  use  of  a  corrected  ash  value  is  primarily  of  interest  in  the  correct 
determination  of  the  amount  of  active  or  organic  matter  present.     For, 

»Parr,  S.  W.,  Composition  and  Character  of  Illinois  Coals:   Bull.  lU.  Geol.  Survey  No.  3;  1906,  p.  3L 


PARR]  COMPOSITION   OF   ILLINOIS   COAL.  211 

unless  the  line  of  demarcation  between  the  organic  and  inorganic  sub- 
stance is  properly  and  precisely  drawn,  we  do  not  have  a  correct  unit 
for  the  '^combustible  matter."  In  the  first  series  of  tables  (p.  214),  the 
ash  is  reported  as  determined  without  these  corrections.  The  corrected 
ash  value  has  been  calculated  and  used  in  deriving  the  values  for  British 
thermal  units  listed  in  the  column  under  "Unit  Coal.'^ 

The  Calorific  Value. 

The  heat  values  may  be  designated  in  either  calories  per-  kilo  or  B.  t.  u. 
per  ponnd.  The  latter  term  is  almost  universally  used  in  this  country, 
although  the  former  has  many  advantages,  not  the  least  being  its 
conformity  to  the  designation  used  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  excepting 
England.  A  calorie  is  the  amount  of  heat  necessary  to  raise  1  kilo  of 
water  through  1°  C.  The  small  calorie  is  the  amount  of  heat  necessary 
to  raise  1  gram  of  water  through  1°  C,  but  this  unit  is  never  used  in 
fuel  references.  The  British  therm^al  unit  is  the  amount  of  heat  neces- 
sary to  raise  1  pound  of  water  through  1°  F.  The  relation  of  the 
calorie  unit  to  the  British  thermal  unit  involves,  therefore,  the  relative 
values  of  the  thermometric  degree,  in  each  case,  and  the  relation  of  the 
kilo  to  the  pound.     It  would  be  expressed  bv  the  formula 

9/5X2.2046  or  3.968. 
That  is,  one  calorie  is  equal  to  3.968  B.  t.  u.  However,  the  comparison 
between  values  as  determined  for  coal  is  not  thus  a  comparison  between 
units  for  the  reason  that  an  arbitrary  amount  of  coal  enters  into 
each  case  as  a  basis  for  the  determination  of  heat  values.  This  arbi- 
trary amount  is  a  kilo  of  coal  in  the  case  of  the  calorie  value  and  'a 
pound  of  coal  in  the  case  of  the  B.  t.  u.  value.  In  other  words,  the  stand- 
ard unit  of  water  which  is  considered  as  measuring  the  heat  volume  is 
referred  to  an  equivalent  iveight  of  the  coal  as  the  fuel  unit.  ^N'ow, 
since  in  both  systems  the  quantity  of  fuel  employed  is  equivalent  to  the 
quantity  of  water  whose  temperature  is  conceived  to  be  elevated,  then  the 
indicated  rise  in  temperature  will  be  the  same  in  both  systems.  That 
is,  a  pound  of  coal  will  raise  the  temperature  of  a  pound  of  water  through 
as  many  degrees  as  a  kilo  of  coal  would  raise  a  kilo  of  water,  or  a  ton  of 
.coal  would  raise  a  ton  of  water,  etc.  The  difference,  therefore,  in  heat 
values  as  expressed  by  these  two  methods  is  simply  the  difference  in 
the  thermometric  readings,  and  a  reading  taken  by  the  Fahrenheit  scale 
will  be  9/5  or  1.8  times  as  great  as  the  reading  taken  by  the  Centigrade 
scale;  therefore,  to  change  fuel  values  expressed  in  calories  per  kilo  to 
values  in  B.  t:  u.  per  pound,  multiply  by  1.8;  if  the  reverse  process  is 
desired,  division  by  the  same  factor  will  change  from  B.  t.  u.  to  calories. 

UNIT   COAL. 

Under  this  heading  three  terms  have  come  into  use : 

1.  Combustible. 

2.  Ash-and-water-free  coal. 

3.  Pure  coal. 


212  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

These  terms  are  s^'iionymous  and  are  intended  to  represent  the  active 
or  actual  coal  substance.  The  heat  value^  for  example,  when  referred 
to  the  "combustible  matter"  is  found  by  dividing  the  heat  value  as 
obtained  on  the  wet  coal  by 

1.00 — (sum  of  moisture  and  ash  as  weighed). 

From  the  discussion  in  the  previous  paragraph  on  ash  (p.  210),  it  is 
evident  that  there  may  be  very  considerable  errors  unless  we  make  use 
of  a  corrected  ash,  hence  there  has  been  suggested  another  term,  that  of 
'^unit  coal,"^  which  is  intended  to  stand  for  the  pure  or  actual  coal 
substance  as  derived  from  taking  into  consideration  the  corrected  ash. 

The  expression,  therefore,  is  considered  to  be  as  follows : 

Corrected  ash=Ash  as  weighed+5/8S+.08   (Ash— 10/8S). 

(The  last  expression  10/8S  represents  the  Ye^O^,  in  the  ash  as  weighed 
and  which  should  be  su])tracted  before  applying  the  hydration  correction 
of  8  per  cent.) 

Simplifying  this  expression,  it  becomes 

Corrected  ash=1.08A+21/40S  (in  which  A=ash  and  S=su]phur). 

Because  a  small  component  of  sulphur  is  present  in  the  organic  sub- 
stance in  other  than  the  pyritic  form,  the  expression  21/40S  is  more 
correctly  considered  as  22/40S.     Hence  the  pure  coal  substance  or 
'  Unit  coal^^l. 00— (Moisture  +1.08A+1/2S+1/20S). 

Calorific  values  Avhich  are  obtained  on  the  wet  coal  would  be  expressed 
on  the  unit-coal  basis  l)y  the  formula : 

B.  t.  u.— oOOOS 

LOO— (Moisture+1.08  Ash+1/2S+1/20S) 

And,  for  values  obtained  on  the  dry  coal,  the  expression  would  be: 

B.  t.  u.— 5000S 

1.00— (1.08   Ash-fl/2S+l/20S) 

(Kote: — The  subtraction  of  5,000  B.  t.  u.  for  each  per  cent  of  sul- 
phur in  obtaining  the  unit  coal  values  is  essential  for  purposes  of 
comparison  and  for  arriving  at  a  unit  substance  which  is  free  from  so 
large  a  variable  as  this  represents.) 

The  unit-coal  values  of  Tables  1  to  6  have  been  averaged  for  each 
seam  with  the  idea  that  their  averages  represent  the  characteristic  value" 
which  may  serve  as  a  basis  of  comparison.  These  values  are  listed  in 
the  numerical  order  of  the  seams  as  follows : 

1  Parr  and  Wheeler,  Unit  coal  and  the  composition  of  coal  ash:  Bull.  Univ.  of  111.  ,Eng.  Exper.  Station. 
No.  37,  1909. 


PARR] 


COMPOSITION    OF    ILLINOIS    COAL. 


213 


Table  1. 
Unit  coal  averages  for  Illinois  seams. 


Geological  seam. 

No.  of  samples 
averaged. 

Highest  unit 
value. 

Lowest  unit 
value. 

Average. 

1       

41 

5 

51 

12 

118 

14,937 
14,975 
14,  729 
15,121 
15, 157 
14.990 

14, 459 
14,175 
14,463 
14,392 
14,911 
14,046 
14,  761 

14, 662 

2 

14, 740 

3 

14,  602 

5N 

14,  605 

oS 

6 

14, 999 
14, 536 

3     1                14. 828 

14,  779 

The  averages  as  given  in  this  table  are  remarkable  in  that  the  valuer 
for  the  various  seams  are  in  close  agreement.  Some  seams,  as  No.  2,. 
liave  a  wider  variation  in  their  values,  but  there  is  yet  some  question 
as  to  whether  these  values,  which  are  widely  divergent  from  the  average,, 
represent'  true  variation  in  heat  constituents  or  result  from  a  faulty 
method  in  ash  determination.  That  the  standard  method  for  determin- 
ing the  ash  constituent  is  at  fault  in  certain  cases  is  now  recognized  and 
is  discussed  in  detail  under  a  topic  following,  concerning  the  composi- 
tion and  analysis  of  the  ash  of  Illinois  coal  (p.  228).  There  seems  to 
l)e,  however,  a  characteristic  difference  between  certain  seams  as  Xos.  1, 
2,  3,  5X,  and  6,  and  also  between  seams  Xos.  oS  and  7. 

It  will  be  interesting  in  this  connection  to  tabulate  unit  coal  values 
for  the  commonest  types  of  classes  of  fuels  as  in  table  2.  This  table 
not  only  shows  the  relative  place  of  Illinois  coals  in  the  series  1)ut  shows 
a  characteristic  variation  as  between  the  bituminou>  coals  of  the  eastern 
type  and  those  of  the  mid-continental  field. 

Table  2. 

Classification  of  fuel  types   hy  heat   values  for  unit   coal  or  actual  organic 

substance. 


Substance. 


B.  t.  u. 


Cellulose  and  wood 

Peat 

Lignite-brown. 

Lignite-black 

Sub-bituminous  coal 

Bituminous  coal  (mid-continental  field) 

Bituminous  coal  (eastern  field) 

Semi-anthracite  and  semi-bituminous . . 
Anthracite 


6,500  to  7,800 
7.800  to  11,500 
11,500  to  12,500 
12,500  to  13,500 
13.500  to  14,200 
14,200  to  15,000 
15.000  to  16,OOo 
15,500  to  16,000 
15,000  to  15,500 


214 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Tahle  3. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Date. 


Countv. 


Condition. 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as 

received 

and  dry  coal . 

1 
1 

^ 

c 

OT 

^ 

B 

o 

ci 

. 

a 

-d 

.5 

s 

3 

^ 

P^ 

> 

<^ 

m 

pq 

1858     9-08 

2679 

9-08 
9-08 

8-08 


1796 

1797 

2650 

1758 

2775 

1860 

1764 

1769 

2617 

2641 

1869 

2753 

1811 

1839 

1840 

1787 

2609 

2624 

1861 

1875 

187i 

1878 

2737 

2738 

1765 

1768 

1785 

2652 

1748 

1831 


11-09 


8-08 

7-09 

7-09 

10-08 

11-09 

9-08 

9-08 

9-08 

9-08 

7-09 

7-09 

9-08 

10-08 

10-08 

10-08 

11-09 

11-08 

8-08 

8-08 

8-08 

8-09 

8-08 

9-08 


Fulton 
..do.. 
Knox. 
..do.. 
Mercer 
Rock  Island 

..do 

Brown . . . 
Bureau. . 

..do 

..do 

Calhoun.. 
Christian. 
Fulton... 

..do 

Green 

..do 

Grundy.. 

..do 

..do 

Hancock . 
Jackson . . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

LaSalle . . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

McLean. . 
McDonough 


.As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 
Dry  coal 


17.21 
i7'48 
14.55 
14.54 
15.77 
15.26 
17.30 
15.60 
15.61 
15.99 
16.00 
10.62 
11.54 
14.87 
15.37 
14.93 
15.04 
17.18 
13.24 
17.56 
13.48 
14.25 

9.00 
12.73 

9.32 

9.10 
14.03 
15.36 
12.41 

7.34 
12.02 
18.42 


38.69 
46.73 
36.56 
44.30 
40.37 
47.26 
40.57 
47.46 
35.80 
42.51 
37.03 
43.70 
36.25 
43.82 
40.10 
47.50 
39.44 
46.73 
37.56 
44.71 
38.05 
45.29 
39.65 
44.36 
42.89 
48.50 
43.88 
51.54 
48.84 
57.73 
38.12 
44.82 
38.80 
45.67 
38.38 
46.33 
39.04 
44.99 
36.19 
43.90 
40.27 
46.54 
50.70 
59.13 
50.28 
55.25 
51.17 
58.63 
52.32 
57.70 
49.54 
54.49 
36.92 
42.95 
35.68 
42.15 
40.74 
46.51 
43.07 
46.48 
38.21 
43.43 
42.10 
50.38 


37.49 

45.28 

35.80 

43.38 

38.25 

44.75, 

37.73 

44.15 

41.60 

49.39 

35.64 

42.05 

38.25 

46.25 

35.84 

42.48 

36.86 

43.68 

38.92 

46.33 

36.19 

43.09 

38.13 

42.67 

36.65 

41.42 

35.80 

42.06 

29.40 

34.72 

36.38 

42.75 

35.64 

41.95 

38.79 

46.85 

36.44 

42.00 

35.63 

43.22 

40.29 

46.58 

30.77 

35.88 

34.46 

37.88 

31.96 

36.62 

33.12 

36.52 

35.54 

39.10 

40.65 

47.28 

37.08 

43.82 

39.08 

44.60 

44.11 

47.61 

40.86 

46.44 

34.64 

41.44 


6.61 

7.99 

10.16 

12.32 

6.83 

7.99 

7.16 

8.39 

6.83 

8.10 

12.07 

14.25 

8.17 

9.87 

8.46 

10.02 

8.09 

9.59 

7.53 


11.62 

11.60 

12.97 

8.92 

10.08 

5.45 

6.40 

6.39 

7.55 

10.57 

12.43 

10.52 

12.38 

5.65 

6.82 

11.28 

13.01 

10.62 

12.88 

5.96 

6.88 

4.28 

4.99 

6.26 

6.87 

4.14 

4.75 

5.24 

5.78 

5.82 

6.41 

8.40 

9.77 

11.88 

14.03 


5.48 
5.91 
8.91 
10.13 

6.84 

8.18 


3,90 

11,147 

4.71 

13, 464 

5.53 

10, 434 

6.70 

12,  644 

4.31 

11,207 

5  05 

13, 113 

4.47 

11,187 

5.24 

13,090 

3.87 

11,211 

4.59 

13,311 

6.45 

10, 178 

7.61 

12,010 

5.10 

10,578 

6.16 

12, 791 

5.07 

11,056 

6.01 

13,099 

3.62 

10,977 

4.29 

13,008 

3  39 

11,082 

4  04 

13,191 

2.96 

10,  781 

3.53 

12,834 

4.96 

11,224 

5.55 

12,557 

3.87 

11,631 

4,38 

13,148 

3,14 

11, 641 

3.69 

13,674 

3.11 

11,475 

3.67 

13, 558 

4.92 

10,  703 

5.79 

12,581 

5.12 

10, 652 

6.03 

12, 538 

2.58 

11,139 

3.11 

13,  450 

5.42 

10,  764 

6.24 

12,406 

1.70 

10,200 

2.06 

12,373 

3.72 

11,  694 

4.29 

13,516 

0.67 

12, 102 

0.79 

14,113 

1.84 

12,558 

2.02 

13,  799 

0.62 

12,319 

0.71 

14,115 

0.90 

12,  480 

0.99 

13,  762 

1.68 

12, 466 

1.85 

13,  713 

2.89 

11,204 

3.36 

13,033 

4.52 

10,<61 

5.34 

12,241 

2.83 

11, 675 

3.23 

13,329 

2.85 

12,825 

3.08 

13,841 

2.96 

11,419 

3.36 

12,980 

2.70 

11,216 

3.23 

13,418 

'N.  F.— New  formula. 


PARR] 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL 
Tadle  3 — Continued. 


21S 


Date. 


County. 


Condition. 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as 

received 

and  dry  coal . 

ai 

g 

.2 

^ 

S 

^ 

s 

^ 

eg 

a 

3 

TJ 

^ 

-- 

iS 

^ 

JZ 

a, 

+j 

H 

^ 

> 

< 

CO 

m 

8-08 

8-08 

8-08 

7-09 

9-08 

12-06 

12-06 

11-09 

4-08 

7-09 

9-08 

11-09 

9-08 

7-09 

8-08 

8-09 

8-08 

12-09 

12-09 

9-08 

11-09 

4-08 

9-08 

9-08 

9-08 

8-09 

8-09 

11-09 

11-09 

11-09 

8-08 


Madison . 
Marshall . 

..do 

..do 

Mercer . . 
Montgomery 

..do 

Morgan 

Peoria 

Putman 

Scott 

..do 

Warren 

Will 

AVoodford.. 

..do 

Henry 

..do 

..do 

Knox 

..do 

Fulton 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

La  Salle 


5N. 
5N. 
5N. 

5N. 
oN. 
5N. 

5N. 
5N. 
5N. 
5N. 


I 
2  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
2jAs  received. 

Dry  coal   . . 
2  As  received. 

I  Dry  coal . . . 
2 [As  received. 

I  Dry  coal . . . 
2i As  received. 

I  Dry  coal . . . 
"  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received. 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received. 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  receivee . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal  — 


12.51 

41.18 

35.56 

10.75 

5.48 

10, 747 

47.06 

40.65 

12.29 

6.03 

12,234 

14.60 

42.27 

36.90 

6.23 

1.62 

11,563 

49.51 

43.20 

7.29 

1.90 

13,539 

13.54 

40.60 

40.10 

5.76 

2.51 

11,883 

46.97 

46.37 

6.66 

2.90 

13,743 

13.20 

41.81 

37.82 

7.17 

2.56 

11,697 

48.17 

43.57 

8.26 

2.95 

13,476 

17.56 

36.28 

36.61 

9.55 

4.52 

10,442 

44.02 

44.40 

11.58 

5.47 

12,666 

12.41 

34.19 

32.35 

21.05 

3.55 

9,126 

39.03 

36.93 

24.03 

4.05 

10,419 

13.61 

43.85 

35.65 

6.89 

2.53 

11,146 

50.75 

41.27 

7.98 

2.93 

12,901 

13.51 

36.80 

36.05 

13.64 

4.11 

10,262 

40.65 

41.69 

17.66 

4.75 

11,865 

12.05 

37.88 

40.49 

9.58 

3.94 

11,316 

43.07 

46.03 

10.90 

4.48 

12,866 

14.95 

39.58 

37.97 

7.50 

2.89 

11,214 

46.53 

44.66 

8.81 

3.39 

13,185 

12.64 

39.78 

40.00 

7.58 

4.25 

11,656 

45.54 

45.79 

8.67 

4.86 

13,342 

11.73 

37.06 

42.21 

9.00 

2.83 

11,447 

41.99 

47.82 

10.19 

3.20 

12,968 

18.52 

39.36 

37.68 

4.44 

2.60 

11,123 

48.30 

46.25 

5.45 

3.20 

13, 650 

16.50 

45.50 

32.63 

5.37 

1.60 

11,297 

54.49 

39.07 

.6.44 

1.92 

13,529 

16.18 

39.43 

37.41 

6.98 

2.98 

11,199 

47.03 

44.64 

8.33 

3.55 

13,361 

15.68 

45.80 

33.32 

5.20 

0.85 

11,586 

54.31 

39.52 

6.17 

1.01 

13,740 

16.61 

35.15 

35.37 

12.87 

6.28 

10,042 

42.15 

42.42 

15.43 

7.53 

12,042 

19.21 

34.14 

36.53 

10.12 

4.47 

9.971 

42.26 

45.21 

12.53 

5.53 

12,342 

19.11 

34.02 

37.06 

9.81 

4.33 

10,081 

42,05 

45.82 

12.13 

5.35 

12,462 

14.45 

38.76 

36.74 

10.05 

2.23 

10, 820 

45.31 

42.95 

11.74 

2.60 

12,645 

13.30 

38.85 

41.17 

6.68 

3.15 

11,603 

44.81 

47.85 

7.71 

3.63 

13,383 

15.09 

38.89 

35.39 

10.63 

3.21 

10,573 

45.80 

41.68 

12.52 

3.79 

12,450 

15.03 

38.53 

35.40 

11.04 

2.51 

10,527 

45.35 

41.67 

12.98 

2.95 

12,389 

15.49 

37.50 

35.66 

11.35 

3.22 

10, 448 

44.37 

42.20 

13.43 

3.81 

12,364 

15.44 

38.35 

35.88 

10.33 

3.. 52 

10,711 

45.36 

42.42 

12.22 

4.17 

12,566 

17.19 

38.64 

34.78 

9.39 

2.72 

10,584 

46.66 

41.99 

11.35 

3.28 

12,781 

14.35 

36.98 

34.48 

14.19 

4.44 

10,324 

43.18 

40.25 

16.57 

5.19 

12,053 

13.31 

38.55 

36.41 

11.73 

3.76 

10,838 

44.47 

42.00 

13.53 

4.34 

12,502 

16.16 

37.69 
44.96 

35.75 

10.40 

3.45 

10. 428 

42.64 

12.40 

4.11 

12,437 

16.13 

34.99 

38.58 

10.30 

3.85 

10, 475 

41.72 

46.00 

12.28 

4.59 

12,489 

13.13 

37.67 

38.60 

10.60 

3.61 

10, 897 

43.36 

44.45 

12.19 

4.15 

12,544 

14,665. 
14, 761 
14,908 
14,899 
14, 669 
14,348 
14, 175 
14, 678 
14, 739 
14, 687 
14,891 
14, 671 
14, 606 
14, 603 
14, 802; 
14, 755 
14, 729 
14,463. 
14,525^ 
14,571 
14, 721 
14,527 
14,510- 
14,594 
14,  74^ 
14, 681 
14,833^ 
14,801 
14,502- 
14,558 
14,590' 


216 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 

Table  3 — Continued. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as 

eceived 

f. 

and  dry  coal . 

q3 

fc 

a 

c 

6 

Date. 

County. 

1 

Condition. 

3 

! 

o 

1 

1 

8 

x> 

o 

^^ 

^ 

-*^ 

eS 

HJ 

C 

H 

£ 

> 

^ 

Ul 

« 

D 

'1788 
2612 
720 
1889 
1749 
1847 
1569 
1874 
1848 
2779 
2782 
2783 
1403 
1409 
1210 
2639 
2640 
2642 
2643 
2644 
540 
721 
740 
741 
1761 
1762 
176 
176 
1770 
1772 
1773 
1774 


9-08 

7-09 

8-07 

11-08 

8-08 

9-08 

6-08 

10-08 

9-08 

12-09 

12-09 

12-09 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

7-09 

7-09 

7-09 

8-09 

8-09 

5-06 

8-0 

10-0 

10-0 

8-08 


Livingston. 

.do 

Logan 

-do 

McLean 

..do 

Macon .... 

.do 

Menard . . . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Peoria .... 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Sangamon . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 


8-081.. do 

8-08!.. do 

8-081-. do 

8-08i.-do 

S-08|..do 

8-08!.. do 


5N. 
5N. 
5N. 

5N. 
j5N. 

J5N. 

IsN. 

I 

I5N. 

15N. 

oN. 

5N. 

oN. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N. 

5N, 

5N, 

5N, 

5N 

oN. 

5N. 


N.  As  received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received  . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

:\.s "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  "received. . . 

D4y  coal 

As  "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . . 

Dry  coal 

AsVeceived. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  "^received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As'received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

A.S "received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As"received. . . 

Dry  coal 

.\s  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As"received. . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

AsVeceived. . . 

Dry  coal 

oN.iAsreceived. . . 

I        I  Dry  coal 

. '5  N.  I  As  received. . . 

j  Dry  coal 

.jo  N.I  As  "received. . . 

I  Dry  coal 

. ioN.  As"received. . . 

I         I  Dry  coal 

.  5N.iAs"received- . . 
I        iDrycoal 


12.73 
8.40 
14.80 
11.83 
12.56 
14.15 
13,91 
14.07 
15.55 
15.02 
13.69 
14.40 
14.29 
13.45 
14.73 
17.16 
14.54 
16.16 
15.34 
15.41 
13.56 
14.39 
14.30 
13.13 
14.61 
14.55 
15.42 


14.00 
14.44 


14.41 


39.70 
45.50 
35.37 
38.62 


36.96 
42.35 
42.57 
46.47 


40.92 

46.42 

35.70 

40.84 

37.23 

43.38 

39.33 

45.72 

36.66 

44.99 

39.66 

46.97 

36.  S4 

43.35 

40.15 

46.52 

39.58 

46.23 

37.67 

43.94 

37.32 

43.12 

36.74 

43.09 

38.11 

46.00 

37.0 

43 .  38 

39.52 

47.14 

37.62 

44.44 

38.5 

45.59 


37.76 

44.22 

38.06 

44.53 

36.70 

43.39 

37.51 

44.42 

37.15 

43 .  66 

38 

45.04 

38.2 

44.7: 

38.49 

44 


36.45 
41.33 
39.44 
45.10 
37.00 
43.08 
37.00 
42.95 
37.10 
43.19 
34.48 
40.83 
37.45 
44.07 
36.79 
42.62 
36.45 
42.59 
34.79 
40.60 
34.81 
40.22 
35.92 
42.13 
35.66 
43.05 
34.01 
39.79 
35.41 
42.23 
34.92 
41  25 
35.3: 
41.7 


36.9 

43.30 

36.41 

4'2..62 

35.41 

41.88 

36.24 

42.90 

38.32 

45.02 

36.23 

42.13 

37.26 

43.56 

37.00 

43.22 


10.61 
12.15 
13.66 
14.91 
11.76 
13.81 
10.80 
12.25 
12.30 
14.06 
11.62 
13.54 

9.76 
11.33 
10.17 
11.82 
10.31 
12.20 
10.67 
12.57 

9.37 
10.86 

9.5 
11.  IS 
13.25 
15.46 
14.42 
16.66 
12.61 
14.78 

9.07 
10.95 
14.38 
16.83 

8.91 
10.63 
12.12 
14.31 
10.69 
12.64 

9.29 
10.78 
11.68 
13.64 
10.91 
12.75 
10.83 
12.4 
10.66 
12.48 
10 
12.85 
12.4 
14.73 
10.72 
12.68 

9.64 
11.32 
11.04 
12.83 
10.03 
11 
10.10 
11.80 


3.20 
3.67 
3.27 
3.57 
3.03 


2.82 
3.29 
3.82 
3.68 


4. 

3, 

3. 

4 

5 

4 

5, 

4 

4 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

3 

3.05 

3.5 

2.38 

2.84 

3.85 

3.3 


3.541 


4.35 
5.091 


11,218 

12, 853 

11,522 

12,578 

10,586 

12.426 

10,912 

12,376 

10,754 

12, 299 

10,719 

12,485 

10, 804 

12,549 

10, 780 

12,545 

10, 633 

12,590 

10, 860 

12,408 

10. 890 

12,618 

10, 804 

12,  621 

10,365 

12,094 

10,398 

12,014 

10,451 

12,257 

10, 465 

12, 633 

10, 155 

11,881 

10, 895 

12.995 

10, 497 

12, 385 

10, 677 

12, 622 

11,019 

12, 749 

10,534 

12,304 

10,598 

12,369 

10, 785 

12,416 

10,55 

12,364 

10,493 

12,281 

10,219 

12,082 

10, 425 

12, 340 

10,778 

12, 663 

10, 628 

12,358 

10, 675 

12,4 

10,741 

12,550 


PARR] 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS    fOAL, 
Table  .J— Continued. 


217 


Pro^ 

imatc 

analysis  of  coal  as  received 

Date. 

County. 

1 
1 

I    S 

Condition. 

and  dry  coal. 

2 

i 

z 

— 

© 

1  ' 

o 

'— 

^^ 

z 

\n 

z 

V 

g 

- 

§ 

^ 

^ 

y 

_; 

^ 

— 

-^ 

— 

- 

1  - 

r- 

'— 

^ 

^^• 

-f. 

- 

- 

8-08 
9-08 


1791!    9-08 

I 
1792i     9-08 


9-08 
9-08 

10-06 
4-08 
4-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 

11-07 
9-08 
7-09 
7-09 
9-07 

10-08 

10-08 


San  amon 

..do 

..do 

..do 

-.do 

Schu5ier . 
Shelby. . . 
Tazewell . 

..do 

Gallatin.. 

Saline 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Williamson 

..do 

Biu-eau . . 

..do 

Christian. 

..do 

..do 


12-09..  do... 

i 
12-091.. do... 

12-09;.. do... 

I 
12-09;.. do... 

12-07  Clinton . 

1175     2-08.. do... 


.|5N 
I 
5N 

5N 

5X 

5X 


S. 


As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received.. 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

vrj"  coal 

As' received. . 

Drj'  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

AsVeceived. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Drj-  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Drj'  coal 

As  received . . . 
j  Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . . 

I  Dry  coal.  .r.,. 

6  As  received. . . 

I  Dry  coal 


14.18 

37.84 

35.39 

44.10 

41.23 

16  41 

40.85 

33.80 

48.87 

40.44 

lo  44 

38.04 

35.60 

44.99 

42.10 

lo  38 

39.51 

36.52 

46.70 

43.16 

13.69 

38.61 

35.39 

44.74 

41.00 

12.99 

38.62 

37.28 

44.40 

42.84 

11   26 

40.63 

36.02 

45.77 

40.60 

14  30 

39.11 

36.74 

45.64 

42.87 

14  35 

38.04 

36.95 

44.41 

43.14 

4  47 

49.07 

36.10 

51.33 

37.82 

6  03 

47.87 

36.20 

50.94 

38. 52 

4  89 

47.6.5 

36.53 

50.10 

38.41 

4.34 

47.75 

35.79 

49.91 

37.41 

6  64 

51.28 

33.48 

54.91 

35.88 

6  10 

50.50 

34.97 

53.77 

37.24 

5,97 

50.70 

36.16 

53.95 

38.43 

4  43 

52.82 

34.12 

55.25 

35.71 

6  04 

49.58 

33.49 

52.76 

35.66 

6  13 

50.12 

.34.47 

53.39 

.36.72 

6  29 

46.99 

.36.72 

50.12 

39.20 

6  47 

45.84 

35.96 

49.02 

38.45 

17  31 

39.11 

34.81 

47.30 

42.09 

14  56 

39.52 

34.72 

46.26 

40.64 

11  82 

15.15 

40.35 

.36.04 

47.56 

42.47 

14.88 

40.17 

.35.87 

47.20 

42.13 

14.45 

40.60 

37.11 

47.45 

43.37' 

13.75 

37.65 

.38.98 

43.65 

45.19 

14  08 

38.99 

.37.81 

45.38 

44.01 

12.00 

38.61 

.38.82 

43.88 

44.11 

13.05 

38.76 

36.041 

44.57 

41.45: 

11.83 

44.25 

34.42 

1 

50.19 

39.031 

12.59 

1 
4.29 

14.67 

5.00 

8.94 

3.05 

10  69 

3.6.5 

10.92 

3.40 

12  91 

4.01 

8  59 

3.38 

10  14 

4.00 

12  .31 

3.35 

14.26 

3.88 

11  11 

3.75 

12  76 

4.31 

12  09 

4.37 

13  63 

4.93 

9.8.5 

3.34 

11  49 

3.90 

10.66 

3.02 

12.45 

3. 53 

10  .36 

3.56 

10  85 

3.72 

9.90 

2.92 

10.54 

3.12 

10.93 

3.96 

11  49 

4.16 

12  12 

5.85 

12  68 

6.12 

8  60 

2.19 

9  21 

2. 35 

8.43 

3.30 

8,99 

3. 52 

7  17 

2.16 

7  62 

2. 30 

8,63 

2.35 

9  04 

2.47 

10.89 

3.07 

11  .58 

3.26 

9  28 

2.22 

9  89 

2.37 

10  00 

3.61 

10.68 

3.86 

11  73 

3.39 

12.53 

3.62 

8  77 

3.38 

10  61 

4.09 

11  20 

3.28 

13.10 

3.84 

11  90 

4.15 

13  50 

4.71 

8  46 

3.14 

9  97 

3.70 

9  OS 

3.44 

10  67 

4.04 

7  85 

3. 321 

9  18 

3.89 

9.62 

3.84 

11  16 

4.45 

9  12 

3.. 36 

10  61 

3.91 

10  57 

4.67 

12.01 

5.28 

12  15 

4.59 

13  98 

5.29 

9  50 

3.49 

10.78 

3.96 

10. 396 

14, 574 

12.115 

10. 603 

14,477 

12. 6.8.5 

10, 402 

14.  430 

12,  .301 

10,873 

14,  .578 

12, 849 

10. 472 

14,477 

12, 133 

11,059 

14,899 

12, 709 

10,979 

14, 686 

12.373 

10. 875 

14, 623 

12. 690 

10. 709 

14.. 569 

12,504 

12. 645 

15, 133 

13. 235 

12,416 

15,024 

13,212 

12,298 

14,916 

12.931 

12. 321 

15, 157 

12.879 

12.479 

14,927 

13.367 

12.. 596 

15,019 

13,415 

12,883 

15,011 

13,700 

12,  8.54 

14,993 

13,4.50 

12, 1.59 

14,911 

12,942 

12, 483 

14,973 

13,298 

12.251 

14,930 

13,073 

12.022 

15,000 

12,853 

10,  .502 

14,480 

12, 699 

10,479 

14,417 

12,265 

10, 760 

14.448 

12, 203 

10.815 

14, 405 

12. 745 

10. 807 

14,489 

12, 696 

10,9.32 

14,327 

12,778 

10, 773 

14,347 

12, 490 

10,770 

14,284 

12,  .535 

10,921 

14, 440 

12,411 

10, 6.36 

14,596 

12,232 

11,162 

14,459 

12,659 

218 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
Table  ,9^Continued. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Proximate 

analysis  of  coal  as  received 

E 

and  dry  coal. 

t 

f^; 

Date. 

County. 

^ 

Condition. 

3 
.2 

.2 

B  ■ 

g^ 

o 

s 

-o 

E 

u 
£ 

6 

8 

x^ 

o 

^ 

s 

• 

.c 

a. 

^ 

.■ti 

^ 

O 

H 

fe 

> 

<> 

-f. 

w 

t> 

1176 
1177 
1178 

[2635 
2636 
1845 
1846 
420 
461 
1722 
1723 
1776 
1777 
1810 
2750 
2630 
1799 
1800 
2754 
175 

,1651 
1652 
2769 
2804 
91 
92 
1841 
1862 
2786 
2788 
2818 
2819 


2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
7-09 
7-09 
9-08 
9-08 
5-07 
5-07 
8-08 
8-08 
8-08 
8-OS 
9-08 
11-09 
7-09 
9-08 
9-08 
11-09 
5-06 
7-08 
7-08 
11-09 
12-09 
5-06 
5-06 
9-08 
9-08 
12-09 
12-09 
12-09 
12-09 


Clinton.. 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
Edgar. . . 
..do.... 
Franklin 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
Greene.. 
Henry.. 
Jackson . 
..do.... 
..do-... 
Jefferson 
..do.... 
..do.... 
Knox . . . 
Macon . . 
Macoupin 

..do 

..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 


As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  "received. 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. 

Dry  coal 

xVs  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. 

Dry  coal 

As  received. 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received . 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  "received. 
iDry  coal. .. 


12.86 

39.62 

35.68 

45.46 

40.95 

15.19 

43.57 

31.79 

51.35 

37.50 

14,81 

40.21 

30.87 

47.20 

36.24 

16  72 

45.16 

29.16 

54.23 

35.01 

12  06 

40.89 

35.62 

46.51 

40.50 

14.94 

40.94 

34.76 

48.14 

40.86 

14.82 

40.30 

35.15 

47.31 

41.27 

10  06 

14  40 

8,47 

46.78 

35.09 

51.11 

38.34 

9.09 

48.98 

33.95 

53.88 

37.34 

9  11 

50.50 

34.56 

55.56 

38.02 

8  48 

50.47 

34.35 

55.16 

37.52 

10  13 

47.50 

33.12 

52.84 

36.87 

14  18 

38.69 

37.37 

45.08 

43.55 

19  45 

37.20 

33.37 

46.18 

41.43 

7  81 

46.24 

33.78 

50.16 

36.64 

9.14 

50.19 

31.38 

55.25 

34.53 

9,94 

41.27 

41.90 

45.82 

46.52 

16  04 

40.73 

32.79 

48.50 

39.06 

7  48 

44.84 

37.17 

48.47 

40.18 

7  85 

44.60 

36.40 

48.40 

39.50 

17.94 

39.47 

33.99 

41.42 

48.10 

15,42 

44.05 

39.68 

46.57 

41.96 

13  36 

41.00 

37.72 

47.31 

43.53 

13  31 

41.91 

36.85 

48.34 

42.51 

12  89 

38.90 

37.16 

44.65 

42.67 

13  93 

38.57 

36.92 

44.81 

42.90 

14  13 

39.61 

37.44 

46.30 

43.75 

14  36 

39.96 

37.03 

46.65 

43.25 

13  82 

39.36 

36.48 

45.68 

42.32 

13  35 

41.02 

35.61 

47.34 

41.00 

11.84 
12.59 
9.45 
11.15 
14.11 
16.56 
8.96 
10.76 
11.43 
12.99 
9.36 
11.00 
9.73 
11.42 
6.77 
7.53 
6.90 
8.08 
9.66 
10.55 


5.83 

6.42 

6.70 

7.32 

9.25 

10.29 

9.76 

11.37 

9.98 

12.38 

12.1 

13.20 

9.29 

10.22 

6.89 

7.66 

10.44 

12.43 

10.51 

11.35 

11.15 

12.10 

8.60 

10.48 

10.85 

11.47 

7.92 

9.15 

7.93 

9.15 

11.05 

12.68 

10.58 

12.29 

8.76 

10.21 

S.65, 

10.10 

10.34 

12.00 

10.02 

11.56 


3.39 
4.52 
1.39 
1.65 
2.55 
2.99 
1.05 
1.26 
3.38 
3.84 
2.57 
3.02 
2.84 
3.34 
0.82 
0.91 
1.02 
1.19 
1.94 
2.13 
1.10 
1.21 
1.21 
1.33 
1.22 
1.33 
0.70 
0.78 
3.34 
3.88 
3.21 
3.98 
3.55 
3.85 
0.62 
0.68 
1.56 


1.73 
3.50 
4.17 
3.09 
3.34 
3.87 
4.19 
2.60 


16 

25 

50 

72 

29 

66 

22 

5.66 

6.49 

4.51 


5.23 
4.14 
4.84 
4.00 
4.67 
3.11 
3.61 
4.86 
5.61 


10,672 
12.246 
10,660 
12,569 

9,916 
11,639 
10,515 
12, 626 
10, 825 
12, 309 
10, 964 
12,890 
10,901 
12,797 
11,972 
13,312 
11,459 
13,400 
11,695 
12,778 
11,975 
13, 173 
12,379 
13, 620 
12,380 
13, 257 
11,633 
12,945 
10, 773 
12,553 

9,864 
12, 245 
11,662 
12, 650 
11,786 
12,970 
12, 107 
13,444 
10, 291 
12, 257 
11,865 
12,824 
11,621 
12,611 
10, 367 
12,632 
11,814 
12, 492 
10, 809 
12, 475 
10,830 
12, 492 
10, 640 
12,214 
10,648 
12,371 
10,855 
12,695 
10.933 
12, 766 
10, 689 
12, 403 
10,655 
12  296 


PARR 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS    COAL. 
Table  3 — Continued. 


219' 


Date.       County. 


rt 


Condition. 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as  received 
and  dry  coal. 


05 

a 

d 

r^ 

o 

S-, 

B 

n 

S 

^ 
Ji 

3 

S 

X 

^ 

.d 

a 

^J 

H 

^ 

> 

< 

02 

w 

1117 

1-08 

1118 

1-08 

1119 

1-08 

2608 

7-09 

2816 

12-09 

2817 

12-09 

170 

5-06 

1866 

9-08 

2614 

7-09 

1842 

9-08 

1863 

9-08 

1864 

9-08 

1873 

10-08 

2820 

12-09 

2812 

12-09 

421 

5-07 

1523 

5-08 

1591 

6-08 

1592 

6-08 

1614 

7-08 

1615 

7-08 

1835 

9-08 

2623 

7-09 

2626 

7-09 

1610 

6-06| 

1616 

-J 

2625 

7-09 

723 

8-07 

724 

8-07 

991 

12-07 

993 

12-07 

Madison 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Marion 

..do 

..do 

Montgomery . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Moultrie 

Perry 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 


..do 

..do.... 
St.  Clair, 
.do.... 
..do.... 
..do.... 


6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  receivee . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal. . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal. . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal . . . 
6  As  received . 

I  Dry  coal 

6  As  received. 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received . 

Dry  coal 

6|  As  received. 

I  Dry  coal 

6  As  received. 

Dry  coal 

6  As  received. 
IDry  coal 


10  33 

40.03 

1 
40.14 

44.65 

44.76 

14  16 

42.34 

31.78 

49.33 

37.02 

11.20 

39.63 

38.78 

44.58 

43.70 

12  20 

39.37 

38.29 

44.86 

43.60 

13  71 

37.17 

38.53 

43.08 

44.65 

11.97 

39.09 

38.47 

44.41 

43.71 

9  15 

44.50 

36.76 

48.98 

40.46 

10  31 

41.40 

34.86 

46.17 

38.87 

10.77 

41.52 

37.99 

46.53 

42.58 

13  61 

41.04 

38.01 

47.52 

43.98 

14.76 

38.96 

37.78 

45.70 

44.32 

12,48 

40.90 

37,04 

46.92 

42.50 

13  21 

39.36 

37.43 

45.35 

43.14 

11,96 

40.89 

35.01 

46.69 

39.67 

6.45 

43.50 

38.79 

46.50 

41.46 

9  31 

11  03 

43.58 

34.06 

49.10 

38.27 

11,11 

38.94 

35.82 

43,82 

40.29 

10,49 

40.04 

38.57 

44.74 

43.09 

10.37 

40.27 

36.88 

44.94 

41.14 

9  87 

39.35 

38.29 

43.58 

42.46 

10.55 

43.40 

33.20 

48.52 

39.36 

8.47 

41.34 

37.35 

45.16 

40.81 

9.29 

43.55 

36.25 

48.01 

39.96 

10.72 

39.65 

36.63 

44.42 

41,03 

9,93 

40.51 

37.48 

44.97 

41.62 

10  32 

42.03 

37.32 

46.87 

41.61 

12  11 

12  23 

9.76 

38.72 

37.26 

42.91 

41.29 

9.44 

35.59 

40.80 

43.72 

45.05 

9.50 
10.59 
11.72 
13.65 
10.39 
11.72 
10.14 
11.54 
10.59 
12.271 
10.47 
11.88 
9.59 
10.56 
13.43 
14.96 
9.72 
10.89 
7.34 
8.50 
8.50 
9.98 
9.22 
10.58 
10.00 
11.51 
12.14 
13.78 
10.26 
12.04 
13.33 
14.71 
11.33 
12.63 
14.13 
15.89 
10.90 
12.1 
12.48 
13.92 
12.49 
13.86 
10.85 
12.12 
12.84 
14.03 
10.91 
12.03 
13.00 
14.55 
12.08 
13.41 
10.33 
11.52 
10.75 
12.23 
8.50 
9.69 
14.26 
15.80 
10.17 
11.23 


3.69 

4.12 

2.41 

2.81 

4.58 

5.17 

4.18 

4.76 

4.65 

5.39 

4.17 

4.74 

3.26 

3.58 

5.03 

5.61 

3.91 

4.38' 

3.781 

4.371 

3.92 

4.60 

3.74 

4.30 

4.25 

4.90 

3.42 

3.78 

4.59 

4.91 

0.89 

0.98 

0.90 

1.01 

3.86 

4.34 

3.44 

3.84 

3.52 

3.93 

2 

3.28 

4.03 

4.50 

3.80 

4.15 

3.13 

3.45 

4.53 

5.07 

4.83 

5.36 

3.24 

3.61 

3.84 

4.37 

2.92 

3.33 

4.29 

4.76 

3.96 

4.37 


11,371 
12, 681 
10,399 
12,114 
11,099 
12, 499 
10,976 
12,502 
10, 689 
12,271 
10,950 
12,440 
11,439 
12, 595 
10,913 
12,167 
11,413 
12, 789 
11,640 
13, 473 
10, 832 
12,712 
11,107 
12, 743 
10, 909 
12,570 
10.662 
12,110 
11,989 
12,816 
11,047 
12,1811 
11,079 
12, 453 1 
10,542 
11,859 
11,064 
12,361 
11,018 
12, 293 
11,051 
12,261 
11,086 
12, 393 
11,226 
12, 265 
11,338 
12,499 
10, 694 
11,978 
11,028 
12, 245 
11,233 
12,525 
11,097 
12,604 
11,395 
12,982 
11,011 
12, 202 
11,523 
12,723 


14,457 
14,303 
14,485 
14,444 
14,319 
14,433 
14,332 
14, 720 
14, 645. 
14,990 
14,398 
14,534 
14,522 
14,387 
14,910 
14,517 
14,456 
14,471 
14,359 
14,607 
14,607 
14,412 
14, 603 
14,483 
14, 385 
14,505 
14,425 
14,676- 
14, 612 
14,895. 
14, 630: 


2^0 


YEAE-BOOK    FOE    1909. 

Table  3 — Continued. 


[BULL.   NO.   16 


Date . 


County. 


Condition. 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as 

received 

and  dry  coal . 

3 

.22 

M 

B 

o 

OS 

a 

O 

of. 

^ 

B 

-d 

.15 

— 

^■ 

.c 

a 

4J 

2 

H 

£ 

> 

-«5 

CO 

m 

1567 
1611 
1612 


12-07 
12-07 
12-07 
12-07 
2-08 
2-08 
2-08 
6-08 
7-09 
7-09 
7-09 
7-09 
7-09 
8-07 
9-07 
8-08 
12- 
7-09 
5-0 
5-0 
5-08 
7-08 
7- 
7-09 
1-08 
5-07 
5-0 
5-07 
12-07 
6-08 
6-08 
6-08 


St.  (l&ir 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

.do 

.do 

-do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

Sangamon . . 

..do 

..do 

Shelby 

Stark 

Vermilion.. . 

..do 

..do 

Washington 

..do 

..do 

While 

Williamson. 

..do 

-.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 


As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  rzceived . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal. 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . . 
Dry  coal .... 
As  received . . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received. . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 
Dry  coal .... 
As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 

Dry  coal 

As  received . 
Dry  coal 


10.05 

13.75 

13.15 

9.41 

15.91 

11.11 

15.46 

11.43 

10.04 

10.80 

10.43 

11.43 

10.09 

14.96 

13.14 

14.69 

10.54 

17.53 

12.56 

12.96 

11.73 

10.41 

9.68 


6.71 
9,99 


9.50 
9.39 


6.69 


10.15 
6.12 


39.73 
44.17 
45.50 
52.75 
44.04 
50,70 
39,09 
43 ,  16 
37,43 
44.54 
40,22 
45.25 
38,05 
45,00 
37,39 
42.22 
41.04 
45,62 
40,01 
44,85 
40.35 
45.05 
39.93 
45.08 
41.64 
46.32 


37.34 

43 

39.44 

44,10 

38,01 

46,09 

42.52 

48.60 

42.7' 

49.1 

38.6 

47  01 

38,91 

43,43 

39.09 

43 .  27 

42.13 

46.42 

45,81 

49,11 


39.00 
43.36 
29.95 
34.72 
31.15 
35.87 
39.78 
43.90 
37.33 
44.39 
38.00 
42.75 
35.73 
42.27 
37.77 
42.64 
37.61 
41.81 
38.08 
42,69 
37.62 
42,00 
37,31 
42,13 
36.66 
40 


11.22 

3.77 

12.47 

4.19 

10.80 

1.84 

12.53 

2.13 

11.66 

2.90 

13.43 

3.23 

11.72 

4.43 

12.94 

4.90 

9.33 

3.95 

11,07 

4.70 

38.61 

45.26 

37.05 

41.41 

35.16 

42,63 

36.92 

42,25 

37.26 

42.80 

33 

41,04 

40,51 

45.23 

39,84 

44,12 

39,26 

43,25 

36 

39.39 


49.00 
52.52 
46.27 
49.66 
48.16 
53.60 
43.40 
46.22 


34.38 
36.83 
35.89 
38.50 
32.95 
36.67 
37.56 


10.6' 

12,00 

10.76 

12.73 

13.41 

15.14 

11.31 

12.57 

11.11 

12.46 

11.60 

12.95 

11.33 

12.79 

11.61 

12,91 

9.38 

11.04 

10.62 

12.23 

9.36 

10.98 

12 

14.49 

9.30 

11.28 

8.00 

9.15 

6.99 

8.03 

9.83 

11.95 

10.1 

11.34 

11.39 

12.61 

9.3 

10.33 

10 

11.50 

7.63 

8.48 

9.16 


10.13 

6.94 

7.66 

9,93 

10,65 

11,04 

11,84 

8.74 

9.73 

12.92 

13.76 

4.20 
4.72 
3.39 
4,02 
5.04 
5.69 


81 

00 

44 

87 

4.55 

4.36 

5.03 

4.23 

4.95 

4.18 

4 

3.52 
4.2 
1.23 
1.41 
1.55 
1 

0.94 
1.15 
3.90 
4.35 
3.14 
3.4 
3.5 
4.03 
4.16 
4.46 
0.92 
1.03 
1.02 
1.12 
1 
1 

2.33 
2.50 
2 
2 

0.95 
1.06 
4.15 
4,42 


11,311 

12,587 

10,769 

12, 486 

10, 674 

12, 290 

11,506 

12,701 

10, 685 

12, 706 

11,191 

12,587 

10,507 

12, 428 

10,547 

11,908 

11.219 

12,471 

11,072 

12,412 

11,060 

12,348 

10,940 

12,352 

11,169 

12,422 

10,74 

12,  640 

10,746 

12,372 

10,66' 

12,503 

10,77 

12,04 

10,328 

12.523 

11,418 

13,058 

11,580 

13,304 

10,334 

12.561 

11,170 

12,468 

11,371 

12,589 

11. 

12, 860 

11,889 

12,744 

11,992 

13,323 

11  836 

13,078 

12,211 

13, 475 

12,144 

13,016 

11,918 

12, 788 

11,88- 

13.229 

11,698 

12,461 


PARR] 


COMrOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL. 

Table  5— Concluded. 


221 


Date. 


'Z 


Countj' 


- 

1 

1613 

6-08 

1801 

9-08 

1 

1804 

9-08 

1805 

9-08 

1806 

9-08 

1886 

10-08 

1892 

10-08 

1917 

10-08 

1918 

10-08 

1784 

8-08 

1843 

9-08 

1844 

9-08 

Condition. 


Proximate  analysis  of  coal  as 

received 

and  dry  coal . 

6     1       . 

3 

1 

.2 

.D 

« 

o 

^ 

s 

o 

1 

s 

1 

% 

_• 

-H. 

^ 

H 

fe 

> 

< 

X 

-      ! 

W  illiamson 

6 

..do 

6 

..do           

6 
6 

..do 

..do 

6 

..do 

6 

..do 

6 

..do 

6 

.-do 

6 

7 

LaSalle 

Vermilion  ..... 

7 

-.do 

7 

As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 
As  received 
Dry  coal . . . 


9.69 

48.96 

54.21 

9.75 

50.71 

56.18 

6.77 

45.88 

49.20 

7.58 

46.74 

50.58 

9.79 

50.49 

55.98 

8.85 

52.00 

57.04 

8.98 

51.24 

56.30 

8.86 

51.03 

55.99 

9.34 

50.42 

55.61 

11.82 

40.04 

45.41 

13.23 

39.41 

45.43 

13.14 

39.82 

45.98 

32.11 
35.56 
32.20 
35.69 
34.95 
37.51 
34.49 
37.32 
30.84 
34.I7I 
31.14! 
34.17 
31.96 
35.11! 
31.32 
34.36 
31.63 
34.89 
36.80 
41.73 
37.44 
43.14 
38.32 
44.26 


9.24 

10.23 

7.34 

8.13 

12.40 

13.29 

11.19 

12.10 

8.88 

9.85 

8.01 

8.79 

7.82 

8.59 

8.79 

9.65 

8.61 

9.50 

11.34 

12.86 

9.92 

11.43 

8.45 


1.05 

1 
11,810 

1.16 

13,077 

1  54 

12,128 

1.71 

13.438 

4.74 

11,670 

5.08 

12.517 

3.56 

11.736 

3.85 

12, 698 

1.98 

11,770 

2.19 

13,048 

1.11 

12,101 

1.21 

13,276 

1.77 

12, 140 

1.94 

13,338 

1.05 

11,942 

1.15 

13, 103 

1.58 

11,942 

1.74 

13,173 

3.57 

11.144 

4.04 

12,637 

2.75 

11,143 

3.17 

12, 842 

3.05 

11.329 

3.52 

13.083 

14.742 
14, 791 
14. 800 
14. 745 
14.676 
14.710 
14, 768 
14,685 
14, 739 
14,828 
14,761 
14, 748 


INTEKPKETATIOX  OF  RESULTS. 

IXTRODUCTOliY. 

Table  3  ha.s  been  planned  witb  a  view  to  the  development  and  illus- 
tration of  certain  facts  which  are  of  chief  importance  in  the  present 
study  of  the  composition  of  the  coal  deposits  of  the  State.  As  to  location, 
the  only  designation  given  to  the  samples  relates  to  the  county  from 
which  the  samples  came  and  the  date  at  which  they  were  collected. 
Doubtless  disinterested  parties  would  prefer  to  have  the  designation 
more  specific  and  refer  to  the  particular  mines  from  which  the  samples 
were  obtained.  The  samples  were  taken,  however,  with  the  under- 
standing, so  far  as  the  competition  of  various  owners  and  operators  of 
mines  was  concerned,  that  proper  regard  would  be  had  for  the  interests 
involved;  and  it  is  believed  that  all  information  necessary  may  l)e 
conveyed  by  designating  the  samples  with  reference  to  the  county  from 
which  they  came. 

The  fact  has  already  been  referred  to  (p.  204)  that  the  results  of  coal 
analysis  are  often  misused  or  misinterpreted.  Emphasis  was  also  placed 
upon  the  fact  that  a  fundamental  feature  of  the  data  herein  set  forth  is 
the  reliability  of  the  material  worked  upon  as  representing  a  definite 
source    and    condition    for    each    sample.      Further,    in    the    discussion 


222  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull,  no.  16 

which  has  preceded,  attention  has  been  directed  ahiiost  exclusively  to  an 
explanation  of  terms  and  to  the  meaning  of  the  various  bases  of  refer- 
ence, with  detailed  statements  of  the  methods  of  calculation  involved. 
It  is  first  essential  that  these  points  be  thoroughly  understood  before 
there  can  be  any  intelligent  comprehension  of  the  meaning  to  be  con- 
veyed by  chemical  data.  It  is  on  this  theory,  therefore,  that  the  discus- 
sion is  now  taken  up,  relating  to  the  proper  interpretation  of  results. 
The  topics  in  their  order  of  reference  are  as  follows:  Heat  Values, 
Volatile  Matter  and  Fixed  Carbon,  Ash,  Sulphur,  and  Moisture. 

Heat  Values. 

Much  attention  has  been  given  in  recent  years  to  the  calorific  values  of 
coal  as  expressed  by  the  British  thermal  units  (B.  t.  u.)  per  pound.  The 
proper  interpretation  of  the  these  values,  that  is  the  use  to  be  made  of 
them  in  deciding  the  relative  merits  of  various  coals,  is  not  always 
clearly  understood.  Let  us  recall  that  the  constituesnt  parts  of  coal 
divide  themselves  into  tw^o  distinct  divisions :  first,  those  that  are 
inorganic  and*  non-burning^ ;  and  second,  those  that  are  organic  and 
chemically  active  and  combustible.  This  may  be  graphically  illus- 
trated thus : 

(     Moisture. 
I 

Ash. 


i      Volatile  Matter. 

^^ 

(      Fixed  Carbon. 

This  diagram  will  serve  to  emphasize  the  points  brought  out  in^ 
the  previous  chapter  concerning  the  first  division,  to  the  effect  that, 
the  non-burning  constituents,  water  and  ash,  are  largely  of  variable 
amount;  and,  further,  that  the  line  of  demarcation  between  this  divi- 
sion and  the  combustible  part  is  not  easily  located  with  exactness — a  cor- 
rection for  the  ash  as  w^eighed  being  necessary  in  order  to  include 
with  this  substance  all  that  belongs  with  it,  and  exclude  from  the 
combustible  part  any  portion  of  the  non-burnable  material. 

From  these  consideration  it  must  be  evident  that  the  amount  of  these 
non-combustible  elements' has  a  marked  bearing  upon  the  number  of  heat 
units  which  the  total  coal  substance  will  have  and  that  variations  in 
these  inorganic  elements  will  be  the  chief  modifying  factor  in  that 
regard.  That  is  to  say,  even  in  the  same  sample  of  coal  a  higher  ash 
content  will  result  in  a  lower  indicated  heat  value;  and,  conversely,, 
for  any  given  coal  the  lower  the  ash  content  the  higher  the  heat  indi- 
cated.    It  comes  about,  therefore,  that  to  make  use  of  heat  values  in 


'The  minor  constituent,  sulphur,  it  is  true,  has  some  heating  value,  as  explained  elsewhere  (p.  212). 


PARR]  COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL.  228 

estimating  the  comparative  merit  of  coals,  some  basis  of  reference  must 
be  made  use  of  which  will  eliminate  these  variables.  Two  methods 
may  be  suggested.  First,  and  simplest,  provided  we  have  at  hand  the 
indicated  heat  for  a  given  coal  calculated  to  the  basis  on  which  settle- 
ment is  to  be  made,  if  we  multiply  the  indicated  B.  t.  u.  per  pound  by 
2,000,  we  shall  have  the  total  heat  paid  for  per  ton.  If,  now,  the 
price  per  ton  be  divided  by  the  number  of  million  units,  we  will  have 
the  cost  in  cents  per  million  B.  t.  u.  Thus  at  $3.00  per  ton  a  coal  "a," 
showing  11,000  B.  t.  u.  per  pound  would  have  22  million  heat  units 
per  ton  and  $3.00/22^13.6  cents  per  million  units.  Suppose,  now,  it  is 
desired  to  compare  this  coal  with  another,  "b,''  showing  13,000  B.  t.  u. 
per  pound  at  $3.50  per  ton.  The  same  process  of  calculation  gives : 
$3.50/2X13=13.5  cents  per  million  B.  t.  u.  as  compared  with  13.6 
•cents  in  the  first  case. 

But  the  above  illustrations  assume  that  the  heat  values  of  the  par- 
ticular coals  under  consideration  are  at  hand:  while  it  may  be  that  the 
determined  heat  value  is  on  a  submitted  sample  which  has  a  moisture 
and  ash  content  slightly  different  from  that  which  it  is  proposed  to 
furnish  in  the  contract.  For  such  a  case  a  second  method  of  procedure 
is  suggesterl.  It  is  based  on  the  theory  that  a  given  type  of  coal  or  a 
coal  from  a  given  mine  or  region  has  a  fixed  heat  value  for  the  com- 
bustible part  or  unit  coal.  This  may  be  derived  from  a  submitted  sample, 
or  it  may  be  taken  from  a  table  showing  unit  coal  values  such  as  the 
accompanying  tables.  If,  for  example,  in  the  two  samples  referred  to 
above  we  have  for  the  first  case  or  "a/'^  analytical  values  for  water.  10 
per  cent;  ash,  10  per  cent;  sulphur,  4  per  cent,  we  have  a  content  of 
actual  combustible  or  unit  coal  of  1.00— (0.10+1.08X.10+22/40X-04) 
or  0.77,  and  the  cost  per  ton  of  such  unit  substance  would  be  $3. 00/. 77 
or  $3.90. 

In  comparing,  similarly,  the  second  sample  "b,"^  assuming  the  values 
for  water,  3  per  cent;  ash,  7  per  cent;  sulphur,  2  per  cent,  we  have  a 
content  of  actual  or  unit  coal  of  1.00— (0.03+1. 08X.07-f22/40X. 02) 
or  0.883.  The  cost  per  ton  of  unit  coal  in  this  case  would  be  $3. 50/. 883= 
$3.96,  which,  referred  to  unit  coal,  is  only  6  cents  per  ton  more  than  the 
cost  for  sample  "a."  This  would  be  expressive  of  relative  merit  only 
in  case  the  two  coals  were  from  the  same  mine  or  district,  or  were  of 
the  same  type  and  so  would  have  essentially  the  same  heat  value  in  the 
unit  coal  of  each.  If,  however,  we  assume,  for  example,  that  sample  "a'' 
is  from  Illinois,  Seam  Xo.  5,  N"orth,  where  the  averao'e  unit  coal  vahio 


'Illinois  Coal  No.  5,  average  commercial  sample. 

-Pittsburg  Coal,  Ohio  Geological  Survey,  average  commercial  sample. 


224  YEAR  BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  NO.  16 

is  l-lr,r)()()  B.  t.  11.  per  pound,  and  that  sample  "b"  is  from  tlie  Oliio  Pitts- 
l)iirg  seam  where  the  average  unit  coal  value  is  14,(S00  B.  t.  u.  per  pound, 
we  would  correct  the  above  values  by  referring  them  to  the  cost  per 
million  B.  t.  u.  thus: 

,,  „      $3.90X10000()()  ,,  „         $3.90 

«=-2?r00-X  14500-    "•     «  =,-^^15:5^=13.5  cent,  per  nulhon. 

«,„       $:i.y(iX  1000000  ,  $3.96 

^  =TO00X14800         "'     ''  =T^^ll80  ='■'■'  '■'''''   ^'''  '"'"■°"- 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  illustrations  that  the  moisture  and  ash 
are  really  the  controlling  factors,  -and  that  in  coals  of  the  same  type  only 
a  slight  variation  is  introduced  by  taking  account  of  the  difference 
in  heat  values  of  the  unit  coal  constituent.  In  comparing  the  relative 
cost,  liowever,  of  coals  differing  widely  in  type,  as  Illinois  with  West 
Virginia,  this  factor  would  be  very  important. 

Reference  has  been  made  above  to  unit  coal  values.  This  use  of  B.  t.  u. 
values,  /.  ('.,  the  calculation  of  the  same  to  the  unit-coal  basis  where- 
in the  true  or  corrected  ash  has  been  taken  into  account,  has  been  treated 
quite  fully  in  Bulletin  Illinois  State  Geol.  Survey  Xo.  8,  p.  154-106, 
and  also  in  Bulletin  No.  37  of  the  LTniversity  of  Illinois  Engineering 
Experiment  Station.  Extended  discussion  is  not  necessary  here,  the 
above  illustrations  serving  well  to  show  the  importance  and  value  which 
may  properly  be  attached  to  this  item. 

Briefly  summarized,  the  large  mass  of  accumulated  data  show  that 
for  a  given  tyi)e  of  coal  the  heat  values  when  reduced  to  the  unit  of 
reference  indicated  by  the  cori'ected  ash  and  water  free  substance, 
may  be  relied  u])on  as  being  fairly  constant  and  varying  only  within 
narrow  liinits.  For  exam])le,  coals  of  Illinois  and  the  mid-continental 
field  when  referred  to  the  unit  basis  have  a  heat  value  which  ranges,  as 
a  rule,  between  14,200  and  15,000  B.  t.  n.  per  pound.^  Still  further 
subdivisions,  with  still  smaller  ranges  of  variations,  are  found  to  exist 
as  between  seams,  and,  again  between  values  for  the  same  seam  in  dif- 
ferent localities  in  the  State.  A  discussion  of  these  areas  and  coal  seams 
is  made  the  special  topic  of  another  chapter  (p.  213).  It  is  intended 
here  simply  to  note  the  importance  and  possible  applications  of  a  know- 
ledge of  this  fact.  The  method  of  derivino'  this  factor  has  already  been 
explained  on  ]rao-e  212.  In  aiiv  .oivrn  instance,  there-f^ore,  the  intrinsic 
(|ualitv.  and  even  in  m-uiv  iu-^tanees  the  sonrce  of  the  coal,  may  be 
indicated  by  making  an  analysis  and  heat  determinntion  of  a  given 
sample  and  reducing  the  values  obtained  to  the  unit-coal  basis. 

Volatile  Matter  and  Fixed  Cakbon. 

The  volatile  matter  and  fixed  carbon  are  understood  to  be  the  terms 
representing  the  actual  combustible  or  unit  coal  substance.  A  knowledge 


'Bull.,  Univ.  of  ni.  Eng.  Exper.  Sta.  No.  37,  p.  36. 


PARRJ  "  COMPOSITION   OP   ILLINOIS   COAL.  225 

of  the  percentage  content  of  the  two  different  forms  of  this  combustible 
material;,  that  is  the  volatile  matter  and  the  fixed  carbon,  is  of  relatively 
small  importance  in  the  combustion  of  fuel  under  boilers  equipped  with 
the  proper  appliances  for  effecting  complete  combustion.  It  makes 
small  difference,  therefore,  whether  the  fuel  readily  assumes  the  vola- 
tile form  or  not,  since  the  combustion  chamber,  draft,  stoking,  etc.,  are 
so  controlled  as  to  insure  the  burning  of  this  constituent.  The  case 
is  entirely  different,  however,  in  domestic  appliances  where  the  tendency 
constantly  exists  for  this  part  of  the  fuel  to  get  away  and  escape  com- 
bustion. For  all  such  purposes,  it  is  a  matter  of  considerable  importance 
as  to  how  much  of  the  combustible  is  in  the  fixed  carbon  form,  which  is 
of  more  exemplary  behavior  in  that  it  burns  only  upon  the  grates. 
The  volatile  matter  may  burn  in  the  flue  passages  or  beyond  the  heating 
device  or  not  at  all.  For  this  reason  the  highest  efficiency  in  domestic 
appliances  is  secured  by  means  of  anthracite  coal  and  from  this  the 
graduation  downward  is  directly  in  the  order  of  the  increase  in  volatile 
matter.  Fortunately,  however,  this  decrease  in  efficiency  is  more  than 
compensated  by  a  decrease  in  the  cost. 

Ash. 

The  quantity  of  ash  is,  however,  of  course,  the  first  essential  in  esti- 
mating the  importance  of  this  ingredient.  As  we  have  already  seen  the 
amount  of  heat  in  the  coal  is  inversely  as  the  quantity  of  ash.  The  ash 
varies  in  coal  from  the  same  mine  almost  directly  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  fine  material.  Lump,  and  screened  or  washed  coal  has,  on 
an  average,  from  half  to  two-thirds  as  much  ash  as  the  screenings  or 
slack.  This  is  due  to  a  number  of  causes.  The  earthy  material  of  floor 
and  roof,  which  is  collected  with  the  coal  in  the  process  of  mining,  for 
the  most  part  becomes  pulverized  and  thus  increases  the  ash  content 
of  the  fine  coal.  It  is  true  also  that  in  most  coal  seams  the  lower  layers 
have  a  larger  quantity  of  ash  than  the  upper  part  of  the  seam.  Where 
under-cutting  is  practiced,  therefore,  the  dust  from  the  saw  teeth  of  the 
cutter  is  higher  in  ash  than  the  average  coal  of  the  entire  seam. 

Another  important  point  concerning  the  ash  is  its  fusibility  or  ten- 
dency to  fuse  on  the  grate,  forming  clinker.  The  fusibility  of  the  ash 
depends  chiefly  upon  its  composition,  and  since,  as  a  rule,  silicious  matter 
predominates,  the  readiest  method  of  producing  a  fusible  compound 
would  be  by  admixture  of  iron  in  some  form.  It  thus  comes  about  that 
sulphur  is  very  generally  believed  to  be  an  index  of  clinker ing  properties. 
In-so-far  as  sulphur  is  present  in  the  form  of  iron  pyrites,  that  is  true; 
but  cases  are  met  with  occasionally  where  rather  high  sulphur  is  accom- 
panied by  low  iron.  In  this  case  the  sulphur  is  combined  with  the  organic 
material  and  there  is  not  the  corresponding  tendency  of  the  ash  to  clinker. 
Such  cases  are  rare,  however.  The  presence  of  calcium  carbonate  is  fre- 
quently met  with  in  quantities  sufficient  to  effect,  ver}^  materially,  the 
fusion  point  of  ash.  This  feature  is  shown  in  a  more  detailed  study  of 
the  composition  of  the  ash  of  Illinois  coals,  in  the  chapter  following. 

—15  G 


226  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  ■  [bull.  no.  16 

One  point  further  should  be  made  here,  however,  to  the  effect  that  the 
clinkering  or  fusion  of  coal  ash  is  frequently  as  much  a  result  of  the 
method  of  burning  as  of  the  composition  of  the  ash.  A  coal,  for 
example,  with  a  very  infusible  ash  may  be  burned  at  a  rapid  rate,  with 
strong  draft,  and  in  a  manner  to  concentrate  the  combustion  within 
a  relatively  small  space  both  as  to  area  of  grate  and  depth  of  fire.  Under 
such  exaggerated  conditions  doubtless  any  coal  ash  may  be  made  to 
clinker.  An  accentuated  illustration  of  this  condition  is  shown  in  the 
combustion  of  powdered  coal,  where  the  ash  comes  away  in  the  form 
of  slag.  On  the  other  hand,  a  deep  fire  with  the  same  amount  of  com- 
bustion spread  over  a  greater  area,  as  ^vell  as  depth,  will  not  produce 
at  any  given  point  so  high  a  temperature ;  and,  as  a  result,  the  ash  may 
not  be  brought  to  the  fusion  point.  These  are  conditions  not  always  easy 
to  control,  especially  in  house  heating  appliances  where  there  is  little 
supervision  or  regulation  of  the  fire  and  where  extremes  as  to  the  rate  of 
combustion  are  the  rule.  A  better  understanding,  however,  of  the  con- 
ditions of  combustion  and  composition  of  ash  may  be  helpful  both  in  the 
matter  of  the  control  of  fires  and  in  the  selection  of  coals  for  specific 
conditions. 

Sulphur. 

The  sulphur  content  of  Illinois  coals  is  variable,  ranging  from  1  to  6 
j)er  cent.  It  is  chiefly  combined  as  iron  pyrites  (FeSg) .  A  part,  however, 
is  always  combined  with  the  carbon  and  hydrogen  in  some  organic  form. 
Frequently  a  small  portion  is  combined  as  calcium  sulphate,  which  ap- 
pears as  thin  white  flakes  or  scales  along  the  cleavage  planes  of  the 
coal. 

Since  the  larger  part  is  usually  combined  with  iron,  the  amount  of 
sulphur  is  usually  considered  as  an  index  of  clinkering  properties,  as 
already  discussed  on  page  225.  It  may  be  further  noted  that  the  fuel 
value  of  sulphur  is  only  approximately  1/4  that  of  carbon  and  about 
1/14  that  of  hydrogen.  Considering,  therefore,  the  low^  heat  content  of 
sulphur  and  the  accompanying  inconveniences  such  as  clinkering,  etc., 
it  may  perhaps  more  properly  be  classed  with  the  ash  or  inorganic  ma- 
terial than  with  the  true  "combustible.^^  Attention  should  be  called 
to  the  fact  that  in  the  proximate  method  of  analysis,  while  the  sulphur 
content  is  separately  determined,  it  is  not  to  be  included  in  the  constitu- 
ents which  total  100  per  cent.  This  is  because  in  that  method  of  analy- 
sis the  sulphur  is  already  weighed  and  determined  with  other  ingredi- 
ents. For  example,  the  so-called  volatile  matter  is  a  complex  substance 
and  carries  approximately  one-half  the  sulphur  in  the  form  of  hydrogen 
sulphide  HgS).  With  the  fixed  carbon  or  coke  residue,  most  of  the 
remaining  sulphur  is  included ;  while  a  smaller  portion,  that  represented 
by  the  oxygen  which  has  partly  taken  its  place  in  the  iron  oxide  (FcoO.,) 
of  the  ash,  is  accounted  for  in  that  form. 

So  far  as  a  study  of  sulphur  distril)ution  is  concerned,  a  reference  to 
the  tables  will  show  that  while  some  of  the  southern  and  southeastern 
fields  of  the  State  are  characterized  by  a  low^  content  of  sulphur,  and 


PARR  J  COMPOSITION    OF    ILLINOIS   COAL.  227 

the  central  and  northern  districts  by  a  higher  percentage  of  this  material, 
these  latter  districts  are  not  without  strata  and  regions  of  low  sulphur 
content.  Care  in  mining,  and  subsequent  preparation  by  washing,  etc., 
may  greatly  reduce  the  amount  of  sulphur  where  that  substance  offerri 
serious  objections  from  the  consumer's  standpoint. 

One  other  characteristic  of  sulphur  may  be  mentioned.  It  is  that 
element  which  gives  the  disagreeable,  pungent  odor  to  the  spent  gases 
from  coal  fires.  In  round  numbers  50  million  tons  of  coal  are  mined 
yearly  in  this  State.  At  a  very  conservative  estimate,  2  per  cent  of  this 
material  is  sulphur;  that  is,  one  million  tons.  This  means  that  in  the 
process  of  combustion,  two  million  tons  of  sulphur  dioxide  gas  are 
liberated.  It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  in  cities  and  industrial 
centers,  especiall}^,  there  is  the  everpresent  odor  of  burning  sulphur. 
This  difficulty  is  one  which  does  not  depend  upon  incompleteness  of 
combustion  and  cannot  be  remedied  by  improvements  in  that  line.  Coal 
washing,  by  which  the  heavier  pyritic  particles  are  removed,  might  sug- 
gest a  method  of  lowering  the  sulphur  content  before  burning,  but  this 
could  only  be  a  partial  remedy  and  not  generally  practicable.  Whether 
any  remedy  is  possible  for  this  feature  of  coal  combustion  can  only  be 
a  matter  of  conjecture  in  our  present  state  of  knowledge. 

Moisture. 

Moisture  in  coal  offers  no  such  objectionable  feature  as  sulphur  or 
even  ash.  It  automatically  removes  itself  in  vapor  form,  without  noxious 
or  disagreeable  properties. 

Attention  is  called  again  to  the  variable  quantity  of  this  constituent. 

For  example,  a  50-ton  car  of  coal  is  weighed  at  the  mine  and  at  that 
time  and  place  may  contain,  say  14  per  cent  of  water.  In  transporta- 
tion this  coal  may  shrink  in  weight  by  loss  of  moisture  and  reach  the 
consumer  with  only  10  per  cent  of  moisture.  This  represents  a  shrink- 
age of  two  tons  to  the  car.  The  user,  however,  buys  much  less  water, 
and,  therefore,  a  coal  correspondingly  increased  in  intrinsic  value. 

A  certain  amount  of  heat  is  expended  in  vaporization,  also,  but  this 
is  less  than  is  ordinarily  supposed.  For  example,  the  heat  of  vaporiza- 
tion at  212°  F.  is  972  B.  t.  u.  per  pound  of  water.  Hence  if  a  pound 
of  coal  is  10  per  cent  water,  then  the  heat  required  to  vaporize  that 
amount  would  be  97  B.  t.  u.  or  approximately  1  per  cent  of  the  heat 
value  of  the  fuel. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  quite  a  wide  variation  is  found  in  the  amount 
of  water  initially  existing  in  the  seam.  A  careful  study  of  conditions 
accompanying  these  variations  is  of  interest  as  being  at  least  in  a  gen- 
eral way  an  index  of  the  type  or  adaptability  of  the  coal  for  certain 
purposes.  For  example,  there  seems  to  be  a  certain  relation  between 
the  amount  of  seam  moisture  and  the  fixed  carbon.  That  is  to  say,  a 
lower  content  of  this  moisture  is  somewhat  indicative  of  a  higher  per- 
centage of  fixed  carbon;  and,  if  we  extend  our  view  to  the  eastern  coals, 
of  the  bituminous  type,  this  will  be  even  more  evident.    The  moisture  in 


228  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [Bull.  no.  16 

those  coal  is  usually  below  5  per  cent  and  the  fixed  carbon  above  55 
per  cent.  A  more  notable  change  in  this  direction  is  seen  in  the  semi- 
bituminous  coals  with  a  vein  moisture  of  2  per  cent,  or  less,  and  a 
fixed  carbon  of  70  per  cent,  and  over.  Variations  from  this  general 
proposition  are  met  with,  so  this  statement  regarding  seam  moisture 
can  only  be  made  in  very  general  terms. 


THE  ASH  OF  ILLINOIS  COALS  WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE 
TO   ITS   CALCIUM   CARBONATE. 

It  has  been  recognized  for  some  time  that  certain  constituents  exist 
in  Illinois  coals  which  properly  belong  with  the  inorganic  and  non- 
combustible  division  of  the  coal  ingredients,  but  which  by  reason  of 
their  volatile  nature  are,  in  the  asual  methods  of  procedure,  reckoned 
with  the  "combustibles."  This  feature  of  the  case  may  indeed  not  be 
peculiar  to  coals  of  the  mid-continental  field,  but  if  present  in  the 
eastern  field  it  might  be  lost  sight  of  and  perhaps  ignored  without  seri- 
ously affecting  the  accuracy  of  the  final  result,  because  of  the  small 
amount  of  the  total  ash  substance.  Quite  the  contrary  is  true,  how- 
ever, with  coals  of  this  region,  whose  ash  content,  in  many  commercial 
grades,  ranges  from  12  to  15  per  cent,  or  more,  of  the  total  coal  sub- 
stance. 

One  of  the  components  which  falls  under  this  description  is  the 
water  of  hydration  or  combined  water  of  the  shaly  or  clayey  constitu- 
ent of  the  ash.  This  topic  has  already  been  fully  treated  in  previous 
papers,^  and  need  not  be  taken  up  here  again.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  call 
attention  to  the  fact  that  in  the  corrected  ash  as  derived  for  the  purpose 
of  arriving  at  a  value  for  unit  coal,  the  factor  1.08  makes  the  neces- 
sary addition  to  the  inorganic  substance  on  account  of  this  water  of 
hydration.  Recent  studies  along  this  line  have  demonstrated  the 
further  presence,  in  many  cases,  of  calcium  carbonate  in  quite  unex- 
pected quantities;  enough,  indeed,  to  introduce  serious  errors  in  both 
proximate  and  ultimate  analyses  and  also  to  affect,  decidedly,  the  results 
of  calculation  to  the  unit  coal  substance  unless  the  volatile  portion,  the 
carbon  dioxide  (CO2),  is  properly  placed  with  the  ash  instead  of  with 
the  "combustible."  This  may  be  illustrated  by  a  few  samples,  selected  be- 
cause they  are  extreme,  and  thus  show  clearly  why  this  constituent  of  the 
ash,  when  present,  should  be  properly  accounted  for. 


'BuU.  lU.  state  Geol.  SurveyNo.  8,  p.  154  et.  seq.    Bull.  Univ.  of  111.,  Eng.  Exper.  Sta.  No.  37. 


PARR]  COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL.  229 

Table  4-    Determinations  of  ash  and  of  carbon  dioxide  (CO2)  in  ash. 


No. 


County. 


CO, 


B 


Ash 

by  stand- 
ard 

method. 


Ash  by 

blasting  in 

platinum  to 

fusion  and 

constant 

weight. 


Ash  Ash 

by  burning  |  by  adding 

at  low  tem-j    columns 

perature.       A  and  C. 


2621 
2648 
2757 
2624 
2776 
2777 
2737 
2786 
2819 
2779 
2639 
2644 
2623 
2775 


Bureau 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Gnindy 

Henry 

Henry 

Jackson 

Macoupin . . . 

Macoupin... 

Menard 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Perry 

Rock  Island . 

2637     St.  Clair 

2616    I  Washington. 


4.46 

1.02 

1.32 

3.07 

1.70 

1.73 

.18 

.31 

.53 

.87 

.79 

1.02 


2.58 
.64 


20.38 
11.35 
12.40 
12.88, 
12.53 
12.13 

5.78 
10.21 
11.56 
12.57 
10.95 
12.64 
14.03 

9.87 
12.91 
10.33 


16.94 

20.43 

10.34 

11.23 

11.83 

13.00 

12.14 

14.72 

12.30 

13.25 

11.49 

13.20 

5.36 

5.63 

10.14 

10.75 

11.00 

11.66 

11.82 

12.50 

10.11 

10.81 

11.69 

12.67 

13.20 

13.84 

9.38 

10.00 

12.03 

12.69 

9.50 

10.15 

21.40 
11.36 
13.15 
15  21 
14.00 
13.22 
5.54 
10.45 
11.53 
12.69 
10.90 
12.71 
13.66 
10.04 
14.61 
10.14 


It  may  be  said  that  the  selection  of  these  samples  to  show  variations  in 
lime  have  been  made  from  a  total  of  122  samples  wherein  this  special 
constituent  has  been  determined.  It  is  notable  that  26  samples  have  a 
carbon  dioxide  factor  exceeding  one  per  cent,  and  that  over  40  other 
samples  in  the  list  have  factors  ranging  from  one-half  to  one  per  cent 
(Table  5). 

In  the  process  of  determining  the  ash,  if  a  high  temperature,  such  as 
is  obtained  by  the  use  of  the  blast  lamp,  is  employed,  all  the  carbon 
dioxide  is  driven  off  and  the  calcium  unites  with  the  siliceous  matter 
in  the  form  of  calcium  silicate.  However,  it  is  quite  possible  to  conduct 
the  burnng  of  the  coal  so  as  to  yield  an  ash  at  a  relatively  low  tempera- 
ture, in  which  case  only  a  part  of  the  carbon  dioxide  is  driven  off,  though 
at  the  same  time  it  is  very  evident  that  all  carbonaceous  matter  has 
been  removed.  These  variations  in  possible  ash  results  are  strikingly 
illustrated  in  the  preceding  table.  Column  D  includes  ash  determina- 
tions made  by  burning  at  a  relatively  low  temperature,  but  with  the 
absolute  disposal  of  all  carbonaceous  matter.  In  Column  B  is  given  the 
ash  as  determined  by  the  standard  method  prescribed  by  the  Committee 
of  the  American  Chemical  Society.  The  results  in  the  third  column,  C, 
were  obtained  by  the  same  procedure,  excepting  that  the  blasting  of  the 
ash  in  platinum  was  continued  until  fusion  and  a  constant  weight 
were  obtained.  In  Column  E  there  has  been  added  to  the  results 
as  obtained  in  Column  C,  the  factor  for  carbon  dioxide,  Column  A,  as 
determined  by  direct  analysis  on  the  raw  coal.  It  will  be  seen,  there- 
fore, that  this  last  column,  E,  gives  an  ash  content  which  may  differ 
considerably  from  the  values  under  Column  B,  or  those  derived  by  the 
standard  method.  They  may  differ  very  widely  from  the  values  under 
Column   C.     It  is   unnecessary  to   emphasize   further   the   great  error 


230  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

which  woukl  result  from  using  this  latter  factor,  though  the  method 
of  blasting  is  not  infrequently  employed.  A  variation  in  ash  results 
of  from  2  per  cent  to  -i  per  cent,  for  example,  in  calculating  the  unit 
coal,  would  make  a  corresponding  difference  in  the  ultimate  values  for 
tlie  unit  constituent,  varying  in  the  average  coal  from  300  to  600  B.  t.  u. 
This  particular  feature  of  such  an  error  is  here  emphasized  for  the 
reason  that  it  is  altogether  possible  that  the  variations  in  unit  coal  for 
a  given  seam  might  be  reduced  if  the  ash  values  were  more  accurately 
determined. 

One  further  point  in  Table  4  should  be  noted,  and  that  is  the  close 
agreement  between  the  values  in  Columns  D  and  E.  From  all  indi- 
cations the  values  in  Column  E,  derived  by  the  high  fusion  temperature 
plus  the  carbon  dioxide,  arrive  more  nearly  at  the  correct  values  than 
any  other  method.  It  is  evidently  possible,  also,  by  burning  at  a  very 
low  temperature  to  duplicate  these  values;  as  is  shown  in  Column  E, 
with  the  exception,  however,  that  the  presence  of  the  higher  amount  of 
carbonate,  in  excess,  for  example,  of  2  per  cent,  gives  values  by  the  low 
temperature  burning  which  are  considerable  lower  than  by  the  other 
method.  This  shows  conclusively  either  the  difficulty  of  retaining 
all  the  carbonate  even  in  the  low  burning,  or  the  fact  that  some 
of  this  carbonate  is  held  in  a  form  more  easily  decomposed  than  would 
be  the  case  with  calcium  carbonate.  This  low  temperature  method  is, 
however,  exceedingly  tedious  and  requires  a  long  time  and  close  atten- 
tion to.  effect  the  combustion  without  permitting  the  temperature  to 
reach  the  point  of  decomposition  of  calcium  carbonate.  In  the  high 
carbonate  samples  from  Bureau,  Grundy  and  St.  Clair  counties,  a  sub- 
sequent complete  analysis  of  the  ash  showed  insufficient  lime  to  satisfy 
the  carbon  dioxide  present.  In  each  case,  however,  there  was  a  consider- 
able amount  of  ferrous  iron  not  in  the  form  of  ferrous  sulphate.  This 
iron  was  found  to  be  in  the  form  of  ferrous  carbonate,  and  as  such 
would  be  decomposed  with  loss  of  a  part  of  the  carbon  dioxide  by  the 
low  temperature  burning.  This,  however,  would  be  included  under  Col- 
umn E.  In  the  matter  of  accuracy,  therefore,  in  all  cases  of  carbonated 
ash,  especially  with  the  higher  quantities  of  carbonate,  the  method 
under  Column  E  should  be  considered  the  more  accurate.  There  is 
some  disadvantage,  however,  connected  with  the  blasting  to  a  high  fusion 
point  in  platinum,  as  called  for  by  this  method. 

In  view  of  the  importance  of  the  whole  matter  pertaining  to  the 
presence  of  calcium  carbonate,  it  is  deemed  necessary  to  make  extended 
examination  of  the  coals  of  the  State  with  reference  to  this  constituent. 
The  carbon  dioxide,  therefore,  has  been  determined  on  a  large  number 
of  samples  which  are  listed  in  Table  5,  wherein  there  is  given  percentages 
of  the  dry  coal  for  the  ash  as  determined  by  the  present  standard  method, 
the  carbon  dioxide  as  determined  on  the  raw  coal  and  the  same  calculated 
to  calcium  carbonate.  The  latter  has  been  calculated,  also,  both  to  per- 
centage of  the  dry  coal  and  to  percentage  of  ash  which  this  constituent 
represents. 


parr] 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL. 


231 


The  method  of  deteriiiining  the  calcium  carbonate  was  to  treat  five 
grams  of  the  air-dry  coal  with  acid  in  a  suital)le  apparatus  for  delivering 
the  carbon  dioxide  into  a  graduated  burette^  where  the  same  could  be 
measured;  and,  after  absorbing  the  carlwn  dioxide  present,  re-measuring 
the  residual  gas  which  shows  by  contraction  the  amount  of  carbon 
dioxide  present.  The  apparatus  used  has  been  devised  especially  for 
this  type  of  work  and  is  illustrated  in  Figure  Xo.  6. 


Fig. 


Apparatus  for  determining  carbon  dioxide. 


From  a  study  of  this  table  it  is  evident  that  not  only  is  the  calcium 
carbonate  present  in  sufficient  quantity  to  make  it  necessary,  in  anything 
like  accurate  work,  that  it  1)e  determined;  but  also  the  fact  that  this 
constituent  is  very  widely  distributed  throughout  the  State.  While  it 
might  appear  from  the  data  at  hand  that  certain  counties,  such  as 
Bureau,  Fulton,  Henry,  Peoria  and  Menard  have  a  larger  amount  of 
this  constituent  than  others,  still  it  should  be  said  that  cases  of  high  and 
low  lime  are  found  in  many  other  localities  and  an  extension  of  this  re- 
search might  indicate  a  distribution  which  would  be  general  rather  than 
localized  in  any  marked  degree. 


2^2  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

TaUe  5.     Determinations  of  ash  and  of  carbon  dioxide  {COJ  in  ash. 


In  percentage  of  dry  coal 

Ash  as 

^0. 

County, 

Seam. 

determined 

CO, 

Per 

bv 
the  stand- 

CO, 

calculated 
to 

cent  of 
CaCOa 

ard 

CaCO,. 

in  corrected 

method. 

ash. 

617 

Bureau 

2 

11.62 
20.38 
10.61 
12.77 
12.97 
12.01 
11.16 
10.61 
9.18 

.94 
4.46 
.52 
.98 
.62 
.56 
1.20 
.64 
07 

2.13 
10.12 
1.18 
2.22 
1.41 
1.27 
2.72 
1.45 
16 

13.8 

36.8 
9.7 

13.1 
7.9 
7.7 

17.3 
9.9 
1  3 

2621 
2622 

Bureau 

Bureau 

6 

6 

2634 
2641 
2811 

2784 
2785 
2798 

Bureau 

Calhoun 

Christian 

Christian [[ 

Christian 

Christian 

6 

2 

6 

6 

6 

6 

996 

Clinton 

6 

10.47 

.44 

1  00 

6  9 

1176 

Clinton 

6 

13.59 

.40 

91 

5  1 

1178 
2635 

Clinton 

Clinton !.!.!!!!!!! 

6 

6 

15.56 
10.76 

2.48 
.28 

5.63 
63 

26.9 
5  0 

2636 
419 

Clinton 

Franklin ]. 

6 

6 

12.99 
10.11 

.80 
37 

1.82 

84 

10.7 
7  2 

42U 
461 

Franklin 

Franklin 

6 

6 

7.53 

.21 
.28 
1.30 
1.02 
1.43 
1  01 

^48 
.63 
2.95 
2.31 
3.25 
2.29 
.20 
3.00 
2.29 
1.63 
1  45 

5.4 

1404 

Fulton 

5  N 

12  52 

17.4 
15.3 
15.3 
13.0 

2.2 
17.6 
14.3 
11.2 

9  6 

2648 

Fulton 

5  N 

11  35 

2751 

Fulton 

5  N 

2752 

Fulton 

5N 

13  05 

2753 

Fulton 

2 

6.40 
12  40 

.09 
1  32 

2757 

Fulton 

5N 

2758 

Fulton 

5  N 

11  55 

1.01 

.72 
64 

1092 

Gallatin    . 

5  S 

10  85 

2750 

Greene 

6 

11.37 

733 

Grundy 

2 

8.17 

.15 

34 

3  1 

734 

Grundy 

2 

5.82 

.88 

1.98 

24.2 

2609 

Grundy 

2 

13.01 

.30 

.68 

3  8 

2624 

Grundy 

2 

12.88 

3.07 

6.97 

38  5 

2630 

Henry 

6 

12.38 

.99 

2.25 

13.6 

2776 

Henry 

3 

12.53 

1.70 

3.86 

24.8 

2777 

Henry 

3 

12.13 

1.73 

3  92 

22  0 

2737 

Jackson 

2 

5.78 

.18 

.41 

5.9 

2738 

Jackson 

2 

6.41 

.15 

34 

4  2 

2754 

Jackson 

6 

7.66 

11 

25 

2  7 

2755 

Jackson 

6 

10.55 

.05 

11 

8 

2756 

Knox 

3 

7.71 

10.48 

.06 

.84 

.14 
1.91 

1.3 

13.8 

2769 

Knox "...  ■■ 

6 

2652 

LaSalle . . 

2 

5.91 
14.63 

.19 
.45 

.43 
1  02 

5.2 
5  5 

2612 

Livingston 

5N 

2804 

Macon 

6 

11.47 

.49 

1.11 

7  2 

735 

Macoupin 

6 

10.86 

.   .36 

.82 

5.4 

736 

Macoupin 

6 

11.40 

.13 

.29 

1  9 

2786 

Macoupin 

6 

10.21 

.31 

.70 

5.0 

2788 

Macoupin 

6 

10.11 

.36 

.82 

5  9 

2818 

Macoupin 

6 

12.00 

.11 

.25 

1.7 

2819 

Macoupin 

6 

11.56 

.53 

1.20 

7  4 

1117 

Madison 

6 

10.59 

.64 

1.45 

10.1 

1118 

Madi  on 

6 

13.65 

.55 

1  25 

7  4 

1119 

Madison 

6 

11.72 

.71 

1.61 

9.9 

2608 

Madison 

6 

11.54 

.20 

.45 

2  7 

2653 

Madison 

2 

12.29 

.42 

.95 

5.6 

4816 

Madison 

6 

12.27 

.18 

.41 

2.5 

2817 

Madison 

6 

11.88 

.20 

.45 

2.9 

2614 

Marion 

6 

10.89 

.31 

.70 

4.7 

2627 

MarshaU 

2 

8.26 
12.57 
10.86 
11.18 

.41 

.87 
.84 

.88 

.93 
1.97 
1.86 
2  00 

8  4 

2779 

Menard 

5N 

5N 

5N 

11  4 

2782 

Menard 

12  1 

2783 

Menard 

12  7 

2650 

Mercer 

1 

8.10 
13.78 

.81 
1.08 

1.83 
2.45 

15  1 

2820 

Montgomery 

6 

13.6 

2739 

Morgan 

2 

17.66 
12.04 

1.07 
.17 

2.43 
.39 

10  6 

2812 

Moultrie 

6 

2.4 

403 

Peoria 

5N 

5N 

15.46 
16.25 

2.48 
2.15 

5.63 
5.33 

26  9 

1407 

Peoria 

24.4 

1410 

Peoria 

5N 1 

14.78 

1.57 

3.89 

19.5 

parr] 


COMPOSITION   OF   ILLINOIS   COAL. 

Tadle  5 — Concluded. 


233 


1 

In  percentage  of  dry  coal. 

Ash  as 

Per 

cent  of 

CaCO. 

in  oorrected 

ash. 

No. 

County. 

Seam. 

determined 

the  stand- 
ard. 

CO, 

CO2 

calculated 

to 

CaCOa 

method. 

1411 

2 

10.90 
10.95 

.98 
.79 

1.79 
1.79 

11.7 

?689 

Peoria 

5N 

12.3 

2640 

Peoria 

5N 

16.83 

.59 

1.40 

6.7 

2642 

Peoria 

5N 

5N 

5N 

6 

10.43 
13.57 
12.64 
14.71 

.67 

1.05 

1.02 

65 

.28 

1.52 
2.38 
2.31 
1.47 
.63 

11.2 

2643 

Peoria          .... 

13.5 

2644 

Peoria 

13.5 

421 

Perry 

8  6 

422 

Perry 

6 

2615 

Perry     

6 

8.17 
14.03 

.20 

.46 

.45 
1.03 

4  6 

2623 

Perry 

6 

5:? 

^626 

Perry 

6 

12.03 

.54 

1.22 

7.9 

2638 

2 

8.81 
11  52 

.31 

44 

.70 
1  00 

5.9 

2625 

Randolph       

6  . 

6  7 

2775 

Rock  Island 

1 

9.87 

.66 

1.50 

10.1 

725a 

St.  Clair 

6  bottom. 
6  middle.. 

14.86 

.70 
.72 
.37 

1.59 
1.63 

.84 

7.2 

725b 

St.  Clair 

10.3 

725c 

St.  Clair 

6  top 

8.9 

991 

St.  Clair 

6...   ..... 

15.80 

1001 

St.  Clair 

6 

12.53 

.55 

1.25 

8.1 

1002 

St.  Clair 

6 

13.43 

.50 

1.13 

6.7 

1003 

St.  Clair 

6 

12.94 

.76 

1.72 

9.8 

2628 

St.  Ciair 

St.  Clair 

6 

12.57 

.36 

.82 

4.9 

2631 

6 

12.46 

.24 

.54 

3.2 

2632 

St.  Clair 

6 

12.95 

.34 

.77 

4.5 

2633 

St.  Clair 

6 

12.79 

.47 

1.07 

6.3 

2637 

St.  Clair 

6  .. 

12.91 
10.54 
11.49 
12.68 

8.99 
11.58 

9.89 

2.58 
.26 

1.22 
.51 
.11 
.34 

1.51 

1.20 
.32 

5.86 

.59 

2.77 

1.16 

.25 

.77 

3.43 

2.72 

.73 

30  9 

1094 

Saline    

5S 

5S 

5S 

5S 

5S 

5S 

6  .     . 

4.5 

1095 

Saline 

17  4 

1110 

Saline      

6.6 

1112 

Saline 

1.9 

1115 

Saline      

5  2 

1116 

Saline    

25.4 

1120 

Saline 

540 

Sangamon 

5N 

10.76 

5.0 

720 

Sangamon 

5N 

13.81 

.54 

1.22 

7.0 

722 

Sangamon 

6 

11.04 

.19 

.43 

2.9 

740 

Sangamon 

5N 

12.75 

.34 

.77 

4.7 

741 

Sangamon 

5N 

12.47 

.85 

1.93 

11.5 

2740 

Scott  

2 

10.19 
14.49 

.64 
.40 

1.45 
.91 

10.8 

2815 

Shelby 

6 

4.9 

2629 

Stark 

6 

10.60 

2.40 

5.45 

33.6 

1412 

Tazewell 

5N 

61 

1  38 



1413 

Tazewell 

5N 

1.36 
1.08 

3.09 
2.45 

557 

VermUion 

6 

9. is 

20.9 

558 

Vermilion 

6 

8.03 

.47 

1.07 

10.5 

2613 

Washington 

6 

12.61 

.42 

.95 

5.9 

2616 

Washington 

6 

10.33 

.64 

1.45 

10.3 

1121 

White 

6 

11.50 

.41 

.93 

6.1 

2611 

Will 

2 

6.44 

.61 

1.38 

16.0 

-896 
|459 

Williamson 

5 

10.68 

.70 

1.59 

11.1 

WiUiamson 

6 

8.48 

.12 

.37 

3.7 

460 

Williamson 

6 

10.13 

.47 

1.07 

9.7 

462 

Williamson 

6 

7.66 

.14 

.32 

3.3 

1088 

WiUiamson 

6 

10.65 

.35 

.79 

5.9 

2649 

Woodford 

2 

6.17 

.61 

1.38 

17.6 

234 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


THE   COMPOSITION   OF   ILLINOIS   COAL  AS   DETERMINED 
BY  THE  METHOD  OF  ULTIMATE  ANALYSIS. 

The  ultimate  analysis  of  coal  has  been  carried  on  for  interests  repre- 
sented by  both  the  State  Geological  Survey  and  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois Engineering  Experiment  Station.  The  results  of  all  such  analyses 
are  included  in  Table  6,  and  correspond  to  the  results  of  proximate 
analyses  only  so  far  as  they  are  made  to  refer  to  the  dry-coal  basis. 

Table  6 — Ultimate  analyses  of  coal. 


Ultimate  analysis  of  dry  coal. 

d 

1 

a 

fi 

d 

d 

y 

i 

u 

1 

■e 

t3 

X 

^ 

3 

"o 

Xi 

o 

c 

w 

O 

•^ 

M 

S 

< 

5-07 

11-07 

11-07 

12-07 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

7-08 

7-09 

7-09 

7-08 

7-09 

7-09 

12-09 

7-08 

12-09 

7-09 

7-09 

12-09 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

2-07 

2-07 

2-07 

2-07 

4-07 

4-07 

4-07 

4-07 

6-07 
7-07 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
7-07 
1-08 
1-08 
7-07 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 


Christian . 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

Gnindy. . 
LaSalle . . . 

Macon 

Peoria 

St.  Clair.. 

..do 

Saline 

San2;amon 

..do 

Tazewell  . 

..do 

Vermilion 

..do 

..do 

.  do 

..do. 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do   


60.74 
60.71 
66.36 
58.34 
62.20 
60  98 
62.52 
62.20 
62.32 
62.04 
63.22 
64.40 
74.62 
70.09 
66.98 
67.41 
66.97 
67.72 
73.85 
69.52 
67.55 
67.85 
67.45 
71.40 
65.21 
62.94 
64.01 
63.12 
68.51 
67.22 
66.72 
72.92 
72.00 
72.51 
71.51 
70.10 
70.80 
73.88 

73.40 

68.04 
66.47 
66.89 
66.53 
67.51 
71.91 
72.55 
73.00 
72.02 
72.23 
72.83 
72.84 


3.96 
4.30 
4.24 
3.90 
4.36 
4.23 
4.18 
4,25 
4.31 
4.33 
4.42 
4.42 
5.31 
5.16 
4  63 
4.96 


,85 

34 

,85 

75 

,83 

,86 

53 

,83 

43 

,39 

4.58 

4.22 

4.75 

4.56 

4,59 

.20 

.95 

.68 

.61 

.60 

,59 

4.97 

4.95 

4.60 
4.47 
4.39 


9.88 
8.35 

10.43 
7.91 
9.68 
9.61 
9.97 
9.83 
9.22 
9.45 

10.42 
8.72 

11.20 

10.34 

10.34 

11.20 
9.90 

10,44 
8.96 
9.04 

10.03 
9.30 
9.62 

10.23 
9.11 
9.56 
8.98 
8.87 
9.53 
9.62 
9.81 
9.65 
9,37 
9,59 
9,47 

10.48 
9.76 
9.87 

10.33 

10.18 
9.28 
8.47 
8.55 
8.55 
10.44 
10.33 
10.39 
10.25 
10.28 
10.36 
10.37 


Not  det 

..do.... 

..do... 

..do.... 

..do... 

..do.... 

..do.... 

..do.... 

..do.... 

..do.... 

..do.... 
1.10 
1.02 
.89 
1.42 
.97 
.91 
1.16 
1.79 
1.05 
1.00 
1.28 
1.12 
1.27 
1.14 
1,09 
1,13 
1,07 
1.14 
1.14 
1.16 
1.22 
1.22 
1.25 
1.24 
1,48 
1,19 
1,27 

1.26 

1.14 
1,17 
1,09 
1.11 
1.09 
1.23 
1.20 
1.25 
1.20 
1.22 
1.21 
1.24 


4.47 
4.88 
5.09 
6.06 
5.39 
5.92 
4,31 
5.16 
4.98 
5.02 
5  39 
6.66 
2.64 
4.22 
3.56 
3.37 
4.92 
4.73 
2.22 
4.17 
4.17 
3,27 
3.33 
1.49 
2.09 
1,83 
2.02 
1.71 
1.63 
1.35 


1.55 

1.57 
2.45 
2.45 
2.39 
2.43 
2.15 
1.84 
1.73 
1,85 
1.95 
1,83 
1,81 


20.95 

21.76 

13.87 

23.79 

18.37 

19.26 

19.02 

18.56 

19.17 

19.16 

16.55 

14,70 

5,21 

9.30 

13,07 

12  09 

12,45 

11,61 

8.29 

11.47 

12.42 

15.44 

13,95 

10.77 

18.02 

20.19 

19.27 

21.00 

14.39 

16.11 

16.28 

9,41 

10,22 

9,87 

10.96 

11.19 

11.43 

8.47 

8.51 

14.47 

16,16 

16,71 

15,99 

15,98 

9.58 

9,26 

S.78 

9.57 

9.52 

8.93 

8.90 

11,947 
10, 989 
12, 139 
10,618 
11,358 
11,161 
11,259 
11,385 
11,303 
11,262 
11,665 
11,775 
13,552 
12,961 
12, 289 
12, 492 
12,357 
12,313 
13, 445 
12, 585 
12,337 
12,311 
12, 255 
12, 822 
11,738 
11,383 
11,490 
11.265 
12, 243 
12,062 
11,954 
12,906 
12, 784 
12, 886 
12,680 
12, 735 
12,740 
13, 154 

13,119 

12,095 
11,765 
11,617 
11,766 
11,724 
12, 740 
12, 893 
12,963 
12,815 
12,813 
12, 791 
12,875 


parrJ 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL. 


2B5 


Table  6 — Ultimate  analyses  of  coal — Concluded. 


Date. 


7-07 
7-08 
1-10 
11-06 
11-06 
11-06 
11-06 
11-06 
11-06 
11-06 
1-10 
1-10 
7-09 
2-07 
2-07 
2-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
&-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-C7 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
7-07 
7-07 
7-07 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
7-08 
7-08 
12-09 


County. 


..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

VVilliamsoR 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..ho... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 

..do... 


Ultimate  analysis  of  dry  coal. 


71,66 
73.20 
70.11 
59.88 
61.80 
62.96 
63.26 
64.50 
62.46 
63.65 
60.25 
66.14 
64.49 
72.51 
73.09 
73.54 
73.40 
74  40 
74.37 
69.46 
69.81 
69.46 
74.77 
74.46 
74.39 
74.39 
73.49 
75.22 
69.23 
69.51 
74.72 
73.35 
73.66 
73.59 
73.65 
71.02 
71.88 
72.35 
73.57 
71.18 
74.43 
73.53 
74.15 
73.00 
74.02 
74.26 
73.47 
72.11 
72.15 
70.77 
70.20 
70.31 
69.99 
69.55 
70.12 
71.62 
71.83 
73.03 


4.77 
4.43 
4.79 
4.00 
4.02 
4.24 
4.20 
4.29. 
4.07 
4.47 
4.46 
4.59 
5.03 
4.61 
4.65 
4.64 
4.67 
4.68 
4.44 
4.32 
4.34 
4.32 
4.70 
4  76 
4.76 
4.53 
4.99 
4.81 
4.31 
4.33 
4.77 
4.99 
5.01 
5.00 
5.34 
4.58 
4.62 
4.67 
5.33 
4.59 
5.04 
4.97 
5.02 
4.94 
5.02 
5.02 
4.64 
4.55 
4.48 
4.41 
4  38 
4.39 
4.37 
4.33 
4.38 
5.19 
4.92 
4.54 


11.24 
8.31 
9.05 

8.42 
9.58 
9.39 
9.80 
9.98 
9.70 
9.66 
8.37 
8.09 
8.28 
8.46 
8.54 
8.67 
8.56 
8.. 57 
9.34 
8.76 
8.81 
8.75 
9.23 
9.04 
9.02 
9.40 
9.45 
9.14 
8.73 
8.77 
9.08 
9.44 
9.47 
9.47 
8.&3 
9.13 
9.23 
9.31 
8.82 
9.15 
8.91 
8.80 
8.88 
8.73 
8.85 
8.89 
9.74 
9.55 
8.95 
9.41 
9.34 
9.35 
9.30 
9.25 
9.32 
10.29 


CO  S  -< 


^?^ 


1.23 

1.83 

1  52 

2.48 

1.04 

3.71 

.99 

2.70 

1  04 

2.04 

1.08 

2.14 

1.09 

1.95 

1.08 

2.15 

1.06 

2  00 

1.11 

1.89 

1.03 

5.00 

1.02 

4.42 

.94 

4.81 

1.34 

1.49 

1  37 

1.43 

1.36 

1.56 

1.38 

1.38 

1.47 

1.48 

1.35 

1.28 

1.37 

1.44 

1.39 

1.39 

1.36 

1.36 

1.33 

1.42 

1.68 

1.60 

1.68 

1.54 

1.35 

1.61 

1.71 

1.41 

1  69 

1.47 

1  .53 

1.41 

1.55 

1.37 

1.61 

1.56 

1.29 

1.37 

1.31 

1.41 

1  30 

1.37 

1.24 

1.86 

1.19 

2.19 

1.21 

2.79 

1.37 

2.05 

1.38 

2.09 

1.33 

2.71 

1.42 

1.36 

1.45 

1.52 

1  46 

1.33 

1.45 

1.40 

1.43 

1.23 

1.47 

1.30 

1.37 

1.33 

1.34 

1.32 

1.20 

1.61 

1.22 

1.62 

1.21 

1.64 

1.21 

1.61 

1.18 

1.56 

1.19 

1.69 

1.21 

1.60 

1.5:3 

2.11 

1.59 

1.17 

1.12 

1.23 

9.27 

10.06 

11.30 

24.01 

21.51 

20.17 

19.70 

18.02 

20.70 

19.21 

20 -89 

15.74 

16.45 

11.56 

10.91 

10.23 

10.61 

10.30 

9.22 

14.64 

14.26 

14.75 

8.49 

8.46 

8.60 

8.72 

8.95 

7.67 

14.79 

14.47 

8.19 

9.56 

9.14 

9.26 

9.07 

11.89 

10.26 

10.25 

8.80 

11.04 

8.85 

9.72 

9.16 

10.48 

9.45 

9.06 

9.45 

11.13 

13.61 

12.57 

13.23 

13.13 

13.60 

13.99 

13.37 

9.26 

11.11 

10.28 


12,910 
12, 807 
12, 622 
10,624 
11,022 
11,281 
11,284 
11,658 
11,226 
11,518 
11,274 
12,009 
11,988 
12,808 
12, 889 
12, 987 
12,941 
12,975 
13,208 
12,246 
12,339 
12,249 
13,388 
13,288 
13,225 
13,375 
13,201 
13,391 
12,230 
12. 266 
13,327 
13,121 
13,283 
13,131 
13,255 
12, 736 
12,985 
13,057 
13, 127 
12, 842 
13, 152 
13,077 
13, 151 
12, 969 
13,062 
13, 159 
12, 807 
12, 655 
12, 192 
12, 444 
12,345 
12,361 
12,171 
12, 156 
12,272 
13,117 
12, 809 
13.052 


236  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

There  are  many  points  of  interest  involved  in  data  derived  by  such 
analysis.  In  the  first  place,  the  nitrogen  content  is  of  more  than 
passing  importance  in  view  of  the  possible  development  of  by-product 
coke  ovens  for  handling  coals  of  this  region,  whereby  the  nitrogen  in 
the  form  of  ammonia  would  become  available  for  the  many  uses  requiring 
this  material.  If  one-fifth  of  the  nitrogen  present  or,  say,  20  per  cent 
of  the  coal  could  be  recovered  in  the  form  of  ammonia  or  in  the 
form  of  ammonium  sulphate,  there  would  be  a  yield  of  100,000  tons  of 
the  ammonia  salt  on  the  basis  of  an  annual  coal  output  of  50  millions 
tons.  This  would  represent  a  value,  at  $11.00  per  ton,  of  $10,000,000, 
or  approximately  one-fifth  of  the  value  of  the  coal  now  marketed  annu- 
ally for  fuel  purposes  alone.  It  is  not  intended  to  convey  the  idea 
in  this  rough  calculation  that  it  would  be  practicable  to  recover  this 
large  ammonia  value  but  developments  in  by-product  coke-oven  prac- 
tice are  certainly  of  interest  in  this  connection. 

Comparisons  are  usually  made  in  connection  with  such  analyses  be- 
tween the  indicated  and  calculated  B.  t.  u.  The  latter  is  obtained  by 
applying  Dulong's  formula  as  follows : 

Calorific  value: 

8080  C-f  34460   (H— 0/8) -f  2250  S. 

Or  in  B.  t.  u. : 

14544  C+62028   (H— 0/8) +4050  S. 

However,  comparison  has  not  been  made  in  this  study  between  the 
heat,  values  as  indicated  by  the  Dnlong  formula  and  the  values  as  di- 
rectly indicated  by  the  calorimeter.  The  divergence  in  such  results  is 
more  pronounced  in  coals  in  this  region  than  in  the  coals  of  the  east- 
ern United  States.  In  view  of  the  possible  presence  of  calcium  carbonate 
and  the  consequent  error  in  the  ash  determination  for  many  Illionis 
coals,  it  is  evident  that  a  direct  variable  in  such  cases  enters  into  the 
value  for  oxygen  and  consequently  for  the  available  hydrogen,  which 
would  thereby  result  in  a  discrepancy  as  between  the  indicated  and  the 
calculated  calorific  values.  Moreover,  a  high  percentage  of  oxygen  in 
combination  evidently  may  be  responsible  for  variations  of  quite  a  dif- 
ferent character,  as  for  example,  a  different  distribution  of  such  oxygen 
in  a  manner  not  altogether  correctly  covered  by  the  expression  0/8, 
or  in  the  ultimate  form  of  water.  There  seems  to  be,  therefore,  numer- 
ous reasons  why  a  calculated  calorific  value  by  use  of  Dulong's  formula 
is  of  little  value  for  coals  of  this  type. 

It  is  more  and  more  evident  from  a  study  of  the  various  types  of 
l)ituniinous  coal  that  the  differences  which  exist  in  these  coals  are  per- 
haps more  directly  indicated  by  the  oxygen  content  than  by  any  other 
item.  This  has  been  especially  referred  to  in  the  classification  of  coals,^ 
wherein  the  oxygen  and  the  hydrogen  accompanying  it  in  the  decomposi- 
tion of  coal  is  represented  as  the  inert  or  the  non-combustible  part  of  the 
volatile  matter.  In  studying  the  oxygen,  it  will  have  much  more  defi- 
nite meaning  if  it  can  be  referred  to  a  unit  basis  which  will  eliminate 
the  variable  present  in  the  ash  constituent.     That  is  to  say,  if  we  refer 


parr] 


COMPOSITION   OF   ILLINOIS   COAL. 


237 


the  oxygen  percentages  to  the  unit  coal  substance,  Ave  will  have  a  basis 
of  comparison  which  will  be  uniform  and  in-so-far  as  this  element 
represents  variation  in  type  it  will  then  appear  in  its  proper  relation  to 
unit  coal.  This  calculation  has  been  made  by  applying  to  the  oxygen 
factor  the  same  formula  for  arriving  at  the  unit  coal  as  already  de- 
scribed (p.  212),  which  brings  us  directly  to  the  unit-coal  basis.  The 
formula  is  as  follows: 

0       

1.00— (1.08XA+22/40XS). 

This  feature  of  calculation  has  been  extended  to  cover  bituminous 
coals  of  the  eastern  type  and  also  those  of  a  semi-bituminous  character 
in  order  to  illustrate  more  clearly  the  significance  of  the  oxygen  factor 
in  the  matter  of  classification  of  coals. 

In  the  Illinois  field  the  unit  oxygen  seems  to  vary  slightly  as  to  the 
different  seams  or  districts,  but  the  entire  variation  is  within  relatively 
narrow  limits.  The  eastern  bituminous,  as  illustrated  by  the  West  Vir- 
ginia samples.  Table  9,  again  varies  but  slightly  in  its  own  class,  but 
is  distinctly  different  from  the  bituminous  coals  of  the  mid-continental 
field.  Again  the  same  statement  may  be  repeated  for  the  Pocahontas 
or  semi-bituminous  coals,  as  shown  by  the  samples  from  Pennsylvania. 
These  differences  are  best  seen  in  a  summary  as  shown  in  Table  7. 

Table  7.     Unit  oxygen  in  coal. 


Type  of  coal. 


Range  of 

variation— 

per  cent. 


Average — 
percent. 


Mid-Continental  Field — 

Illinois  bituminous,  Northern . . 

Illinois  bituminous,  Southern  . 

Ohio  bituminous 

Eastern  Field — 

West  Virginia  bituminous 

Pennsylvania  semi-bituminous 


11-12 
10-11 
10-11 

7-8 
2-4 


11.5 
10.5 
10.5 

7.5 
3.0 


'Parr,  S.  W.,  Composition  and  Character  of  Illinois  Coals:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  3. 


238  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Tahle  8.     Unit  carbon,  unit  oxygen,  unit  coal,  in  Illinois  seams. 


Lab. 
No. 

Date. 

County. 

Seam. 

Ash  by 

standard 

method. 

(Referred  to 

dry  coal.) 

Unit 
carbon. 

Unit 
oxygen. 

Unit  coal. 

800 

5-07 

11-07 

11-07 

12-07 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

4-08 

7-09 

7-09 

4-08 

4-08 

7-09 

12-09 

4-08 

12-09 

7-09 

7-09 

12-09 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

2-07 

2-07 

2-07 

2-07 

4-07 

4-07 

4-07 

4-07 

6-07 

7-07 

1-08 

1-08 

1-08 

7-07 

1-08 

1-08 

7-07 

1-08 

1-08 

1-08 

7-08 

7-08 

1-10 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

11-06 

7-09 

1-10 

1-10 

2-07 

2-07 

2-07 

Christian    

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 

t 

6 
2 
2 

5N 

5N 

6 

6 

5S 

5N 

5N 

5N 

5N 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 

6 
6 
6 

7 

6 
6 
6 

20.95 
21.76 
13.87 
23.79 
18.37 
19.26 
19.02 
18.56 
19.17 
19.16 
16.66 
14.70 

5.21 

9.30 
13.07 
12.09 
12.45 
11.61 

8.29 
11.47 
12.42 
15.44 
13.95 
10.77 
18.02 
20.19 
19.27 
21.00 
14.39 
16.11 
16.28 

9.41 
10.22 

9.87 
10.96 
11.19 
11.43 

8.47 

8.51 

14.47 

16.16 

16.11 

15.99 

15.98 

9.58 

9.26 

8.78 

9.57 

9.52 

8.93 

8.90 

9.27 

10.06 

11,30 

24.01 

21.51 

20.17 

19.70 

18.02 

20.70 

19.21 

16.45 

20.89 

15.74 

11.56 

10.91 

10.23 

81.05 
82.23 
80.71 
82.17 
80.56 
80.28 
81.09 
80.65 
81.38 
81.04 
79.84 
80.04 
80.31 
79.96 
79.81 
79.22 
79.87 
79.80 
82.21 
81.47 
80.13 
81.06 
81.16 
81.54 
82.33 
81.52 
81.98 
82.62 
81.97 
82.12 
81.77 
82.22 
82.06 
82.23 
82.24 
80.80 
81.90 
82.07 

81.59 

81.47 
81.84 
82.97 
82.92 
82.92 
81.28 
81.53 
81.50 
81.24 
81.48 
81.55 
81.48 
80.53 
83.38 
81.75 
82.48 
81.69 
81.71 
81.46 
81.27 
81.60 
80.75 
81.02 
80.66 
.       82.09 
83.56 
83.58 
83.47 

14, 578 

958 

Christian  

14,580 

960 

Christian                  

14,453 

983 

Christian     

14,534 

1387 

14,350 

1389 

Christian     .   .          

14,304 

1391 

14,322 

1418 

Christian                  

14,429 

1419 

Cliristian     

14, 426 

1455 

Christian 

14,382 

1457 

Christian          

14,394 

1607 

10.84 
12.05 
11.79 
12.32 
13.15 
11.81 
12.30 
9.97 
10.59 
11.89 
11.40 
11.57 
11.68 
11.51 
12.37 
11.50 
11.61 
11.40 
11.75 
12.02 
10.88 
10.68 
10.87 
10.90 
12.08 
11.29 
10.96 

11.48 

12.19 
11.43 
10.51 
10.50 
10.50 
11.80 
11.61 
11.59 
11.56 
11.59 
11.60 
11.60 
12.63 
9.47 
10.55 
11.60 
12.66 
12.18 
12.62 
12.57 
12.67 
12.25 
10.40 
11.20 
10.04 
9.75 
9.76 
9.84 

14,221 

2584 

Grundy                    

14, 442 

2585 

LaSalle            

14,548 

1718 

Macon 

14,429 

2583 

Peoria                     

14, 483 

2581 

St.  Clair 

14,439 

2846 

St  Clair                   

14,231 

1683 

Saline 

14,844 

2822 

Sangamon               

14, 506 

2582 

14,388 

2586 

Tazewell                    -  . 

14,515 

2824 

14,545 

142 

Vermilion 

14, 563 

144 

14,652 

147 

Vermilion 

14, 627 

148 

Vermilion                 

14,586 

177 

14,637 

178 

Vermilion                 

14,554 

179 

14,653 

181 

Vermilion                

14,548 

220 

14,523 

228 

Vermilion                 

14,442 

230 

14,378 

233 

Vermilion 

14, 447 

290 

Vermilion                 

14,514 

294 

14,610 

424 

Vermilion                  

14,526 

4261 
427/ 
432 

Vermilion 

14,491 

14,390 

581 

Vermilion        

14,337 

588 

14,258 

589 

Vermilion 

14.305 

590 

Vermilion 

14,252 

591 

14,278 

592 

Vermilion           .  .        

14,384 

594 

14,376 

596 

Vermilion                        

14,352 

598 

14,344 

601 

Vermilion                         ... 

14,212 

603 

14,301 

605 

14,405 

838 

Vermilion        .        

14,448 

1823 

14,545 

2110 

Vermilion            

14,449 

111 

14,435 

112 

Vermilion                  

14,504 

113 

14.405 

121 

Vermilion                       

14,555 

122 

14,536 

141 

Vermilion                        

14,605 

578 

14,749 

2870 

Vermilion 

14,759 

2872 

Vermilion       

14,629 

2243 

Williamson                      

14,686 

249 

Williamson    

14,685 

246 

Williamson 

14,652 

PARR] 


COMPOSITION   OF    ILLINOIS   COAL. 
Table  8— Concluded. 


239 


Lab. 
No. 


Date. 


County. 


Ash  by 

Seam. 

standard 

method. 

(Referred  to 

dry  coal.) 

Unit 
carbon. 

Unit 
oxygen. 

Unit  coal. 

6 

10.61 

83.58 

9.75 

14,660 

6 

10.30 

84.47 

9.73 

14,643 

6 

9.22 

83.19 

10.44 

14,699 

6 

14.64 

83.28 

10.50 

14, 456 

6 

14.26 

83.26 

10.50 

14,635 

6 

14.75 

83.36 

10.50 

14,503 

6 

8.49 

83.03 

10.24 

14,797 

6 

8.46 

82.74 

10.05 

14, 675 

6 

8.60 

82.78 

10.03 

14,609 

6 

8.72 

82.94 

10.47 

14,771 

6 

8.95 

82.05 

10.55 

14,569 

6 

7.67 

82.74 

10.05 

14,678 

6 

14.79 

83.40 

10.48 

14,597 

6 

14.47 

83.12 

10.49 

14,695 

6 

8.19 

82.74 

10.05 

14, 672 

6 

9.56 

82.48 

10.61 

14,677 

6 

9.14 

82.43 

10.58 

14  875 

6 

9.26 

82.45 

10.61 

14.636 

6 

9.07 

82.57 

9.90 

14, 759 

6 

11.89 

82.61 

10.62 

14,689 

6 

10.26 

82.27 

10.56 

14,699 

6 

10.25 

82.39 

10.60 

14, 753 

6 

8.80 

82.32 

9.86 

14,573 

6 

11.04 

82.20 

10.56 

14,656 

6 

8.85 

82.98 

9.94 

14,588 

6 

9.72 

82.92 

9.92 

14,663 

6 

9.16 

82.96 

9.93 

14,639 

6 

10.48 

83.03 

9.93 

14,673 

6 

9.45 

83.06 

9.93 

14,588 

6 

9.06 

82.97 

9.93 

14, 745 

6 

9.45 

82.49 

10.93 

14,306 

6 

11.13 

82.64 

10.94 

14, 428 

6 

13.61 

85.49 

10.60 

14,347 

6 

13.21 

82.86 

11.03 

14.140 

6 

12.57 

82.53 

10.96 

14,455 

6 

13.23 

82.76 

11.01 

14,459 

6 

13.13 

82.77 

11.00 

14,458 

6 

13.60 

82.86 

11.01 

14,319 

13.99 

82.82 

11.01 

14,376 

6 

13.37 

82.80 

11.00 

14,395 

6 

9.26 

80.62 

11.57 

14,646 

6 

11.11 

82.21 

10,73 

14,596 

6 

10.28 

82.77 

11.16 

14,733 

255 
258 
261 
264 
269 
271 
274 
275 
276 
278 
280 
282 
284 
286 
296 
498 
500 
511 
512 
513 
514 
515 
516 
517 
520 
541 
548 
549 
552 
556 
559 
560 
561 
563 
565 
567 
569 
577 
578 
579 
1608 
1684 
2821 


4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
4-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
5-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
6-07 
7-07 
7-07 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
1-08 
7-08 
7-08 
12-09 


Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson 
Williamson. 
Williamson 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 
Williamson. 


240 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BUIX.   NO.   16 


TaUe  9. 

Unit  carbon,  unit  oxygen,  unit  coal,  in  Eastern  seams. 

Ohio — Pittsburg  or  No.  8  coal.^ 


6 

t 

County. 

State 
umber. 

Ash  by 
standard 
method. 
Referred  to 
dry  coal. 

Unit 
carbon. 

Unit 
oxygen. 

Unit  coal. 

25 

Gallia 

10.68 
9.71 

10.59 

13.97 
8.49 

10.92 

80.61 
80.73 
81.26 
81.11 
81.11 
82.73 

11.41 
10.43 
10.72 
10.39 
10.84 
9.74 

14,299 
14,413 
14,585 
14,612 
14,517 
14,560 

27 

Gallia  .. 

28 

Gallia 

26 

Gallia 

23 

Athens 

24 

Athens 

'Bull.  Ohio  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  9. 


West  Virginia  coal^ — Eastern  bituminous. 


446 
454 
439 
440 
304 
305 


Kanawha 
Kanawha 
Kanawha 
Kanawha 
Marion. . . 
Marion. . . 


14.39 
6.44 
8.27 
9.53 
8.34 


85.83 

8.01 

85.19 

7.95 

85.33 

7.79 

85.44 

7.81 

85.73 

7.13 

85.76 

7.14 

15,240 
15,296 
15,412 
15,510 
15,317 
1^413 


Pennsylvania  coal?  (semi-bituminous  type). 


515 
473 
472 
467 


Cambria 
Cambria 
Indiana 
Indiana. 
Indiana. 


10.12 

90.54 

3.39 

9.19 

90.06 

4.07 

9.68 

90.24 

2.29 

11.68 

89.64 

2.29 

8.43 

88.32 

4.69 

16,028 
16,007 
16,074 
15,949 
15,818 


-'Bull.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  No.  332. 


COMPOSITION  OF  ASH. 

In  Table  10  the  composition  of  ash  for  86  coals  is  given.  The  assem- 
bling of  these  values  may  serve  to  indicate  a  number  of  interesting  facts 
as  follows : 

First — The  alumina  content  is  a  direct  index  of  the  amount  of  shale 
or  aluminum  silicate  comprising  the  ash.  In  a  true  kaolin  (2  AlgOgSSiOg), 
the  ratio  of  alumina  to  silica  is  very  nearly  10  to  9.  If,  in  the  table, 
therefore,  we  assign  to  the  alumina  a  little  less  than  the  equivalent 
percentage  of  silica,  the  remainder  of  the  silica  is  probably  present  for 
the  most  part  as  free  silica  or  sand. 

All  clays  have  a  certain  amount  of  combined  water  which  is  not 
driven  off  by  oven  drying  at  105°  but  is  discharged  at  a  red  heat.  It 
is  the  presence  of  this  constituent  which  is  recognized  as  a  component 
of  the  ash  and  is  corrected  for  in  the  unit  coal  calculation  by  adding 
8  per  cent  to  the  ash  as  weighed  less  the  iron  oxide  resulting  from  the 


parr]  composition  OF  ILLINOIS   COAL.  241 

burning  of  the  pyrites.  In  the  table  there  is  a  rather  constant  amount 
of  alumina  present,  but  occasionally  this  substance  drops  to  5  or  6  per 
cent,  leaving  an  unusually  high  content  of  free  silica.  Just  what  effect 
such  composition  would  have  upon  the  hydration  factor  has  not  been 
determined;  this  problem  it  is  hoped  may  he  taken  up  later. 

Second — Clay  and  sand  in  themselves,  either  separately  or  together, 
are  not  easily  fusible.  The  fusibility  of  an  ash,  therefore,  can  be  ap- 
proximately indicated  by  the  amount  of  this  material  present.  This 
fusibility  is  increased  directly  with  the  increase  of  lime  or  iron.  When 
the  combined  amount  of  these  latter  substances  approaches  the  sum 
of  the  silica  and  alumina  present,  we  approach  a  state  of  fusibility 
within  the  range  of  the  ordinary  furnace.  In  proportion  also  as  the  iron 
and  lime  exceed  the  silica  and  alumina  we  have  a  mixture  still  more 
easily  fusible. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  an  application  of  such  a 
rule  is  difficult,  owing  to  the  fact  already  discussed  (p.  225)  to  the  effect 
that  fusibility  is  so  largely  a  function  of  concentration  of  heat  or  zone 
of  combustion,  that  unless  this  fact  is  kept  in  mind  seeming  contradic- 
tions in  the  behavior  of  ash  with  reference  to  its  fusibility  will  be  met 
with. 

Third — A  small  number  of  analyses  were  made  showing  the  content 
of  alkalies.  This  was  done  to  determine  whether  they  were  present  in 
sufficient  amount  to  affect  the  fusibility  or  the  disposal  of  the  CO 2  pres- 
ent. In-so-far  as  these  determinations  went,  neither  of  the  above 
effects  were  noteworthy.  Where  no  fig"ures  are  given  for  alkalies,  no 
determination  was  made.  A  large  number  of  coals  have  been  tested 
quantitatively  for  the  content  of  chlorine.  This  element  is  usually  pres- 
ent in  small  amounts  and  roughly  may  be  said  to  balance  the  amount  of 
alkali  present.  Five  cases  in  50  had  between  A  per  cent  and  .55  per 
cent  of  chlorine.  None  exceeded  the  later  figure,  while  the  average 
would  be  less  than  .10  per  cent.  Eleven  in  50  showed  no  chlorine 
present. 

Fourth — The  sum  of  the  factors  for  silica,  iron,  alumina,  lime  and 
magnesia  approximates,  in  most  of  the  samples,  100  per  cent.  From 
this  it  is  evident  that  by  the  usual  method  of  determining  the  ash  there 
is  very  little  of  the  carbon  dioxide  retained  in  the  ash.  The  values  for 
this  constituent  have  been  given  in  Table  5  and  are  not  repeated  in  the 
table  of  ash  factors.  Table  10. 

Fifth — An  interesting  fact  was  developed  in  connection  with  Samples 
No.  1621,  Bureau  County;  No.  2624,  Grundy  County,  and  No.  2637, 
St.  Clair  County.  Each  had  a  very  considerable  amount  of  the  iron 
present  in  the  form  of  ferrous  carbonate.  In  the  case  of  the  last  named 
the  fact  is  accounted  for  by  the  presence  of  high  carbon  dioxide  and  very 
low  lime  and  magnesia,  quite  insufficient  indeed  to  satisfy  the  carbon 
dioxide  present.  In  the  first  case  the  sulphur  is  relatively  low,  thus 
admitting  of  the  disposal  of  the  iron  as  carbonate.  The  presence  of  fer- 
rous carbonate  in  the  Grundy  County  sample  is  not  so  easily  explained. 


—16  G 


242 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.   1% 


Table  10. 
Composition  of  a^h  in  Illinois  coals. 


No. 


County. 


Seam. 


SiO, 


Fe,0, 


AljOg. 


CaO. 


MgO. 


Na,0. 


CI 
in  dry 
coal. 


Ash  as 
determined 

standard 
method. 


2617 
2621 
2798 
996 
1176 
1178 
419 
420 
461 
2679 
2753 
1404 
2648 
2651 
2752 
2757 
1092 
733 
734 
2624 
2630 
2776 
2777 
2737 
2738 
2754 
2755 
2756 
2612 
735 
736 
2786 
111 
1118 
1119 
2614 
2782 
2650 
1411 
1403 
1407 
1410 
2639 
2640 
2643 
2644 
421 
422 
2623 
2638 
2775 
725a 
725b 
725c 
991 
1001 
10C2 
1003 
2632 
2637 
1094 
1095 
1110 
1112 
1115 
1116 
1120 


Bureau 

Bureau 

Christian 

Clinton 

Clinton 

Clinton 

Franklin 

Franklin 

Franklin 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Fulton 

Gallatin 

Grundy 

Grundy 

Grundy 

Henry 

Hem-y 

Henry 

Jackson 

Jackson 

Jackson 

Jackson 

Knox 

Livingston . . . 

Macoupin 

Macoupin . . . . 

Macoupin 

Madison 

Madison 

Madison 

Marion 

Menard 

Mercer 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Peoria 

Perry 

Perry 

Perry 

Putnam 

Rock  Island . 

St  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

St.  Clair 

Saline 

Saline 

Saline 

Saline 

Saline 

Saline 

Saline 


2 

37.52 

26.70 

18.45 

15.92 

.85 

6 

23.30 

16.28 

21.30 

34.33 

2.26 

6 

46.27 

23.62 

25.55 

2.01 

1.17 

6 

38.80 

27.50 

19.40 

13.20 

1.10 

6 

55.50 

21.40 

5.90 

16.40 

.80 

6 

39.00 

22.40 

6.30 

31.70 

.70 

6 

59.00 

3.10 

31.00 

5.60 

1.30 

6 

54.30 

9.00 

29.10 

6.30 

1.30 

6 

51.40 

10.20 

31.50 

5.70 

1.10 

1 

28.05 

55.46 

11.13 

4.38 

.61 

2 

40.53 

43.07 

14.09 

2.35 

.71 

5N 

43.90 

20.10 

12.30 

22.40 

1,30 

5N 

36.30 

17.24 

39.16 

6.24 

.42 

5N 

40.45 

20.55 

13.96 

22.60 

2.07 

5N 

48.77 

22.03 

18,13 

9,85 

.69 

5N 

34.60 

26.65 

25.55 

12.29 

.67 

5S 

39.50 

29.60 

8,50 

23.80 

1.00 

2 

28.80 

41.10 

22,50 

7.00 

.60 

2 

22.80 

32.40 

10.20 

34.00 

.70 

2 

19.46 

13.62 

19.84 

42.86 

1,13 

6 

36.85 

20.57 

24.77 

16.18 

,90 

3? 

26.55 

32.42 

19.05 

17.98 

1.03 

3? 

26.76 

34.56 

16.44 

18.00 

.86 

2 

50.33 

11.65 

33.20 

3.20 

.40 

2 

40.78 

28.64 

24.00 

4.47 

1.21 

6 

37.23 

23.16 

35.67 

2.40 

1,11 

6 

32.88 

38.91 

25.95 

1.26 

.64 

3? 

38.88 

29.00 

29,02 

1.56 

.96 

5N 

50.85 

19.66 

21.40 

6.41 

1.09 

6 

40.70 

32.50 

17.00 

9.80 

.80 

6 

49.10 

32,20 

13.50 

4.50 

1.40 

6 

46.63 

25.31 

22.61 

4,18 

,76 

6 

40.80 

27.40 

13.20 

16.90 

1,60 

6 

44.80 

19.20 

21.20 

11.20 

1,10 

6 

45.60 

27.00 

5.80 

20,80 

,80 

6 

46.05 

25.54 

22,54 

4.55 

,77 

5N 

37.60 

33.30 

15,86 

11.89 

,56 

1 

25.87 

36.83 

18.40 

18.01 

,70 

2 

33.30 

41.80 

10.20 

16.60 

.70 

5N 

25.70 

12.90 

6.80 

54.50 

1,30 

5N 

33.10 

30.60 

3.20 

31,10 

.80 

5N 

34.30 

24.80 

8.10 

31,. 30 

,70 

5N 

35,88 

22.82 

24.95 

14,95 

.88 

5N 

50.97 

16.09 

22.94 

7.83 

1,63 

5N 

43.27 

20.98 

19.57 

15.21 

,82 

5N 

37.07 

17.77 

31. 2(] 

11.27 

.65 

6 

55.20 

8.30 

26. 6C 

7.30 

1.30 

6 

53.90 

7.80 

28. OC 

6.70 

1.00 

6 

43.18 

21.73 

25.87 

7.50 

1  20 

2 

37.45 

28.43 

24.35 

8.38 

.74 

1 

20.45 

46.86 

21.1^ 

9.00 

,05 

6 

50.90 

17.30 

19. 5C 

11.80 

,60 

6 

48.20 

18.20 

21. 3C 

11.00 

1.30 

6 

33.60 

27.20 

11. 4C 

16.80 

1.20 

6 

44.80 

20.30 

18. 6C 

16.40 

1.50 

6 

52.90 

16.70 

17. 3C 

11.80 

1.30 

6 

44.30 

28.40 

13.20 

11.50 

1.30 

6 

44.40 

19.30 

20. 8C 

16.10 

1.10 

6 

46.72 

19.58 

27.25 

5.02 

1.02 

6 

46.42 

21.50 

22.15 

7.34 

.70 

5S 

42.80 

38.30 

9.3C 

8.3C 

1.30 

5S 

32.70 

33.00 

9.0( 

25. 3C 

.80 

5S 

30.60 

49.70 

7.3( 

13. OC 

.80 

5S 

48.70 

26.10 

22.50 

3.2C 

1.20 

5S 

40.00 

26.40 

21. 8( 

9.3C 

1.10 

5S 

29.40 

20.00 

20.30 

26. 5C 

2.00 

6 

45.40 

25.30 

16.90 

11.60 

.80 

.39 


.52 


.29 


.047 
.439 
.230 
.330 
.100 
.500 
.550 
,560 


.032 
.000 
.009 
.043 
.035 
.011 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.020 
.028 
.014 
.000 
.000 
.079 
.037 
.028 


.220 
.053 
.000 
.050 
.090 
.390 
.028 
.073 
.270 
.000 
.030 
.000 
.009 
.009 
.047 
.041 
.420 
.470 
.000 
.126 
.010 
.000 
.000 
.000 


.120 

.160 

.000 

.000 

.03 

.150 

.040 

.140 

.000 

.000 

.050 

.070 


PARR.] 


COMPOSITION   OP   ILLINOIS   COAL, 
Table  10 — Concluded. 


243 


No. 


County. 


Seam. 


5iO.,. 


re„0. 


A1..0n 


CaO. 


MgO. 


Na,0. 


CI 
in  dry 
coal. 


Ash  as 
determined 

by 
standard 
method. 


540  Sangamon. . . 
720  Sangamon. . . 

740  Sangamon. . . 

741  Sangamon. . . 
722 1  Sangamon... 

28151  Shelby 

2629  Stark 

1412  Tazewell 

1413  Tazewell 

557| Vermilion. .. 
558  Vermilion . .. 

2616  Washington. 
1121^  White 

Williamson. . 

Williamson. . 

Williamson.. 

Williamson. . 

Williamson. . 

Woodford . . . 


459 
460 
462 
1088 
2649 


40.50 
35.10 
56.40 
43.30 
44.00 
42.58 
24.45 
45.00 
43.00 
47.90 
52.90 
39.48 
41.40 
43.20 
59.90 
56.10 
50.10 
46.20 
46.27 


37.00 
22.40 
14.90 
24.10 
32.00 
25.60 
31.18 
26.30 
17.70 
26.90 
23.80 
21.11 
34.60 
37.90 
8.10 
8.10 
20.00 
31.50 
1.23 


8.20 

11.80 

.50 

10,20 

30.80 

1.50 

18.40 

9.10 

1.20 

9.00 

19.90 

1.20 

13.20 

9.80 

1.00 

24.14 

6.40 

.91 

16.83 

23.18 

.76 

11.60 

16.10 

1.00 

6.60 

31.60 

1.00 

18,50 

5.60 

1.10 

5  80 

17.10 

.30 

24  51 

11.53 

.94 

10  60 

12.10 

1.20 

12.50 

3.90 

.50 

29  40 

1.90 

1.00 

27.20 

5.40 

.90 

26,20 

2.90 

.80 

9,00 

12.80 

.60 

35.15 

16.00 

1.05 

.320 
.000 
.240 
.230 
.480 
.034 
.190 
.000 
.150 
.150 
.140 
.200 
.310 
.130 
.1201 
.000 
.000 
.210 


10.76 
13.81 
12.75 
12.47 
11.04 
14.49 
11.28 


9.15 

8.03 
10.33 
11.50 
10.68 

8.48 
10.13 

7.66 
10.65 

6.17 


244  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


THE    GEOLOGY   AND   COAL   RESOURCES   OF   THE   WEST 
FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE,  ILLINOIS. 

(By  Gilbert  H.  Cady.) 
Surveyed  in  co-operation  w  ith  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 


Contents.  . 

Page  . 

Introduction 245 

Topography 246 

Drainage 246 

Relief 247 

(Jeology 248 

Stratigraphy 248 

Surface  deposits 248 

Pennsylvanian  rocks 251 

Structure 251 

Table  of  surface  data 255 

Bench  marks  of  the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle 259 

Coal  resources 259 

Production 259 

The  coals 260 

Extent  and  thickness  of  coals 260 

Quality  of  the  coals  (chemical  analyses)  (F.  W.  DeWolf) 262 

Mines  and  mining  equipment 264 

Plates. 

23.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  West  Frankfort  quadrangle 252 

24.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle Pocket 

25.  Map  and  profiles  showing  a  minor  syncline  in  a  mine 256 

Figure. 

7.    Sketch  showing  faults  in  a  mine ^ 254 


CADY.]  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT   QUADRANGLE.  245 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  West  Frankfort  quadrangle  is  one  of  a  series  of  six  rectangular 
areas  which  have  been  mapped  topographically;  they  extended  across  the 
southern  part  of  the  State  from  near  Mt.  Yemon,  Indiana,  to  Mur- 
physboro,  Illinois.  Reports  upon  the  areas  east  of  the  West  Frankfort 
quadrangle  have  already  been  published/  and  they  are  important  to  one 
who  wishes  to  understand  the  relations  existing  between  the  strata  of 
this  region  and  those  of  neighboring  portions  of  the  southern  Illinois  coal 
field.  Investigations  in  the  Herrin  and  Murphy sboro  quadrangles  to 
the  west  of  the  one  here  described,  have  now  been  completed  and  appear 
also  in  this  volume.  All  of  the  work  has  been  done  in  cooperation 
by  the  State  Geological  Survey  and  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  under 
the  immediate  direction  of  Frank  W.  DeWolf,  of  the  latter  bureau  but 
now  of  the  State  Survey.  A'^aluable  suggestions  and  general  supervision 
have  been  given  by  George  H.  Ashley. 

The  country  included  in  the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle  measures 
about  18  miles  from  north  to  south  and  12  miles  from  east  to  west.  It 
extends  south  from  Benton,  in  Franklin  Count}^,  to  within  one  mile  of 
Marion,  in  Williamson  County.  The  west  line  passes  about  five  miles 
west  of  Marion  and  about  two  miles  east  of  Herrin,  while  the  east  line 
passes  about  one-half  mile  east  of  Thompsonville,  Franklin  County,  and 
just  east  of  the  site  of  the  new  town  of  Allegheny.  The  field  study  ex- 
tended about  one  mile  beyond  the  quadrangle  in  all  directions.  The  three 
largest  towns  actually  inside  of  the  quadrangle — Benton,  West  Frankfort 
and  Johnston  Cit}' — lie  in  the  order  named  along  the  main  north-south 
line  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad.  Thompsonville  and 
Benton  are  reached  by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  running  from  St. 
Louis  to  Eldorado.  With  the  exception  of  Benton  and  Thompsonville, 
practically  all  the  towns  of  the  district  owe  their  development,  and,  for 
the  most  part,  their  existence  to  the  coal  industry. 

This  paper  is  a  preliminary  report  of  investigations  by  the  writer  in 
the  West  Frankfort  quadrangle  during  the  field  season  of  1908,  and  a 
correlation  of  the  results  with  those  previously  arrived  at  in  the  three 
quadrangles  to  the  east.  Important  results  of  the  work  are  embodied  in 
a  map  showing  the  altitude  of  Coal  Xo.  6  over  the  area.  Several  dia- 
grams and  various  logs  are  presented  to  illustrate  different  phases  of 
the  stratigraphy.  Some  attention  is  also  given  to  the  character  of  the 
surface  deposits. 

^DeWolf,  F.W.,  Coal  investigations  in  the  Saline-Gallatin  field,  Illinois,  and  the  adjoining  area;  and 
Coal  investigations  in  Saline  and  W^illiamson  counties,  Illinois:  Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey  No.  8, 
1908,  pp.  211  and  230. 


246  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

A  very  important  part  of  the  Illinois  coal  field  is  included  in  this 
area.  Williamson  County  in  1909  ranked  first  among  the  counties  of 
the  State  in  the  production  of  coal,  having  produced  during  the  year 
ending  June  30,  5,901,815^  tons  of  coal.  Franklin  County  during  the 
same  year  yielded  2,442,978  tons.  As  descrihed  later  iii  the  report, 
mining  conditions  are  especially  favorable  because  of  the  thickness  and 
exceptionally  high  quality  of  the  coal. 


TOPOGEAPHY. 

The  topography  is  favorable  for  the  development  of  mining  in  all 
parts  of  the  quadrangle,  even  in  the  hilly  region  at  the  east  side,  which  is 
as  yet  undeveloped.  Flat  valleys  of  moderate  grade  lead  up  into  the 
interior  tapping  this  hilly  region  and  a  similar  area  lying  just  to  the 
east  in  the  Galatia  quadrangle.  The  partly  completed  Eldorado,  Marion 
and  Southwestern  J^ailroad,  running  from  Marion  to  Pittsburg  and 
Shiloh,  following  Crab  Orchard  Creek,  may  do  much  to  open  up  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  quadrangle.  A  similar  advantage  might  be 
taken  of  the  gentle  grades  afforded  by  Pond,  Ewing,  and  Bossie  Creeks 
for  reaching  the  hills  and  prairies  to  the  north. 

DrAIN/VGE. 

The  drainage  of  most  of  the  area  included  in  the  West  Frankfort 
quadrangle  is  controlled  by  the  Big  Muddy  River.  The  divide  ])etween  the 
Big  Muddy  drainage  and  that  of  Saline  River  is  the  highland  along 
the  eastern  boundary  of  the  quadrangle.  The  streams  flowing  toward 
the  southeast  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  area,  and  a  few  others  along 
the  eastern  boundary,  are  tributaries  of  the  Saline.  It  is  interesting  to 
observe  the  general  accordance  of  the  Saline  drainage  area  with  the 
occurrence  of  Coal  No.  5  as  an  important  workable  bed,  and  the  corres- 
ponding agreement  of  Coal  No.  6  (commonly  called  No.  7  in  this 
region),  as  an  important  workable  seam,  with  the  Big  Muddy  drainage 
area. 

The  greater  part  of  the  quadrangle  is  drained  by  four  streams:  Mid- 
dle Fork  of  Big  Muddy,  Ewing  Creek,  Pond  Creek,  and  Lake  Creek. 
These  streams  converge  from  the  northeast  and  the  southeast  to  enter 
the  Big  Muddy  west  of  AVest  Frankfort,  just  outside  the  quadrangle. 
To  a  certain  extent  this  makes  the  northern  two-thirds  of  the  area  a 
drainage  unit.  The  southern  one-third  is  drained  by  Crab  Orchard 
Creek,  and  although  its  terrace  features  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
country  further  north,  they  cannot  as  yet  be  definitely  correlated  with 
them. 

All  of  the  streams  are  of  the  same  general  type.  They  are  confined 
to  steep,  narrow,  channels  during  the  dry  season,  but  at  the  time  of 
the  spring  freshets,  are  spread  over  wide  flood-plains  so  as  to  make  the 


Kindness  of  Mr.  David  Ross,  Secretary,  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics. 


CADY.]      GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE.        247 

country  nearly  impassable.  The  flood-plains^  consequently,  are  not  con- 
sidered suitable  for  agricultural  purposes,  for  the  most  part,  and  are 
grown  up  with  woods  and  underbrush.  The  congestion  of  fallen  trees 
and  other  debris  that  occurs  in  the  channels  of  these  streams  after 
every  period  of  high  water  hinders  the  improvement  of  the  flood-plains 
for  agricultural  purposes,  since  it  prevents  rapid  run-off  of  flood  waters. 
Some  of  the  flood  condition,  however,  is  due  to  back  water  from  the  Big 
Muddy.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  streams  west  of  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Eailroad.  The  drainage  surveys  at  present  being  con- 
ducted along  the  Kaskaskia,  Big  Muddy,  and  other  rivers  of  the  State 
have  been  instituted  to  ascertain  means  by  which  damaging  overflow  of 
the  streams  may  be  corrected. 

The  gradients  of  the  streams,  of  course,  vary.  Middle  Fork  falls  from 
an  altitude  of  about  390  feet  to  380  feet  above  sea  level  in  the  twenty 
miles  of  flood-plain  from  the  north  to  the  west  limits  of  the  quadrangle. 
The  stream  winds  in  its  course  sufficiently  to  double  this  distance,  mak- 
ing the  grade  not  over  one  foot  in  four  miles.  Lake,  Ewing,  and  Pond 
Creeks  have  gradients  along  their  flood-plains  of  eight  to  ten  feet  a  mile, 
or  of  four  to  five  feet,  following  their  windings. 

Eelief. 

The  altitude  of  the  country  varies  from  about  600  feet  above  sea  level 
just  north  of  Center  School  along  the  west  line  of  sec.  16,  T.  8  S.,  R.  4  E., 
to  about  375  feet  along  the  flood-plain  of  the  Big  ^[uddy  in  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  quadrangle. 

Four  different  forms  of  land  surface  are  present :  the  upland  prair- 
ies, the  lowland  prairies,  the  intermediate  hilly  country,  and  the  flood- 
plains  of  the  streams. 

The  upland  prairies  are  well  represented  by  the  level  country  about 
Akin,  known  as  Knob  Prairie,  or  the  level  country  about  Corinth.  The 
altitude  of  these  upper  prairies  is  al)out  500  feet  above  sea  level.  They 
are  gently-rolling  to  almost  flat  plains  that  present  a  marked  contrast 
to  the  country  leading  up  to  and  surrounding  them.  In  general  fea- 
tures they  differ  ver}^  little  from  the  lower  flats,  though  they  seem  to 
be  more  productive.  They  are  simply  broad  flat  divides,  probably  till- 
plains;  and  where  the  headwaters  of  two  streams  have  cut  back  such  a 
divide  to  a  narrow  ridge,  all  semblance  of  a  plain  is  lost. 

The  lower  prairies,  such  as  Garrett  Prairie  and  Williams  Prairie,  east 
of  .West  Frankfort,  are  always  separated  from  the  upper  prairies  by  a 
rough  hilly  country.  Between  the  lower  prairies  and  the  flood-plains,  on 
the  other  hand,  there  is  often  no  marked  boundary,  but  generally  it  is 
easy  to  distinguish  a  terrace  line  l>etween  the  two.  Locally  there  seems 
to  be  evidence  to  warrant  distinguishing  more  than  one  such  terrace-.  The 
lower  plains  are  very  flat  except  where  broken  into  by  the  shallow  valleys 
or  ^'^draws"  leading  into  the  streams.  Such,  for  example,  is  the  country 
seen  along  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  for  about  two  miles 
north  of  its  crossing  of  the  Middle  Fork  of  Big  ^luddy.    ^ear  the  stream 


248  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

the  plain  is  cut  into  by  small  draws  until  it  loses  its  characteristic  flat 
form.  In  addition  to  the  localities  already  given,  this  land  form  may  be 
observed  south  of  Pittsburg  along  Crab  Orchard  Creek,  and  north  and 
south  of  Pond  Creek  in  sees.  3,  and  10,  T.  8,  R.  4. 

The  prairies  slope  down-stream,  but  not  so  rapidly  as  the  flood-plains ; 
thus,  the  vertical  distance  between  the  flood-plain  and  the  flat  above  it 
increases  toward  the  mouth  of  the  stream.  For  instance,  a  terrace  about 
four  feet  high  borders  the  flood-plain  of  Middle  Fork  at  the  northern 
edge  of  the  area,  but  where  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 
crosses  the  same  stream  the  bordering  terrace  has  twice  this  height. 
Corresponding  conditions  can  be  observed  along  all  the  streams  of  the 
quadrangle.  The  origin  of  these  prairies  will  be  discussed  fully  in  the 
final  report.     Evidence  seems  to  point  to  lacustrine  origin. 

The  flood-plains  may  be  considered  as  upper  and  lower;  the  former 
including  only  those  flats  limited  by  a  well  marked  terrace,  which  are 
flooded  only  at  times  of  unusually  high  water,  and  chiefly  by  the  back 
water  from  the  Big  Muddy.  The  upper  flood-plains,  thus  defined,  are 
limited  to  the  western  part  of  the  quadrangle.  The  best  example  is  to- 
be  seen  along  Middle  Fork  west  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
road in  the  southern  half  of  sec.  9,  T.  7  N.,  R.  2  E.,  where  the  wagon 
road  from  West  Frankfort  crosses  the  stream.  Here  the  460-foot  contour 
line  practically  marks  the  boundary  between  the  two  heights  of  flood- 
plains.  Such  an  upper  flood-plain  is  also  to  be  seen  along  Big  Muddy 
River  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  quadrangle.  The  lower  or  present 
flood-plain  along  the  larger  streams  is  characterized  by  swamps.  It 
is  not  as  smooth  and  plain  as  the  upper.  Interesting  natural  levees  are 
to  be  observed  on  practically  all  streams.  Where  contours  of  the  map 
cross  streams  it  will  be  observed  that  in  many  cases  they  are  deflected  up- 
stream along  the  outer  border  of  the  flood-plain,  indicating  lower  land 
at  these  places.  Thus,  in  times  of  high  water  there  is  commonly  a  strip 
of  land  close  to  the  stream  that  is  not  submerged,  while  the  adjacent 
flood -plain  is  under  water. 


GEOLOGY. 

As  is  the  case  in  the  two  quadrangles  to  the  east  the  surface  deposits 
make  practically  impossible  any  study  of  the  geology  except  as  it  is  re- 
vealed by  the  records  of  drillings  or  of  mine  shafts. 

Stratigraphy. 

surface  deposits. 

The  depth  of  the  surface  deposits  varies  considerably  over  the  area. 
The  occurrence  of  coal  bears  no  relation  to  the  surface  configuration. 
However,  as  the  sinking  of  shafts  proves  impractical  in  those  localities 


CADY.l  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST   FRANKFOET   QUADE ANGLE,  249 

underlain  by  quicksand,  the  surface  deposits  bear  some  relation  to  the 
mining  of  coal.  Evidence  points  to  those  flats  through  which  flow 
Ewing  and  Pond  creeks,  and  to  the  country  lying  west  of  West  Frank- 
fort between  the  Middle  Fork  of  Big  Muddy  River  and  Pond  Creek  as 
the  regions  likely  to  be  underlain  by  the  deepest  surface  deposits  in  the 
quadrangle,  and  most  liable  to  contain  loose  sands.  The  same  may  be 
true  of  the  plain  lying  adjacent  to  the  upper  portion  of  the  Middle  Fork 
of  Big  Muddy.  In  general,  the  present  land  surface  probably  has  less 
relief  than  was  possessed  by  the  pre-glacial  surface.  Many  of  the  valleys 
show  evidences,  through  well  drillings,  of  an  old  soil  line  presumably 
marking  the  position  of  the  pre-glacial  surface.  Most  of  these  evi- 
dences are  found  on  the  prairies  and  flood-plains  extending  along  and 
between  Ewing  and  Pond  creeks.  Some  definite  data  will  be  given 
below  to  show  the  character,  depth,  and  extent  of  the  valley  surface 
deposits. 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  sec.  28,  T.  7,  R.  3,  29  feet  of  blue  mud, 
sticks,  and  sand  were  struck  at  40  feet  depth.  In  the  southeast  quarter 
of  see.  29,  T.  7,  R.  3,  25  feet  of  identical  materials  were  entered  at 
a  depth  of  34  feet  6  inches.  Near  the  middle  of  the  east  line  of 
sec.  21  a  soil  line  was  found  about  36  feet  below  the  surface.  On 
the  south  side  of  Ewing  Creek  in  sec.  18,  T.  7,  R.  3,  quicksand  was 
entered  at  23  feet.  Wells  along  Stevens  Creek  are  reported  as  enter- 
ing the  soil  line  at  a  moderate  depth,  but  definite  instances  were  not 
recorded.  At  the  extreme  east  of  the  quadrangle  in  sec.  34,  T.  6,  R.  4, 
along  Ewing  Creek,  the  soil  was  encountered  at  50  feet.  The  evidence 
given  above  seems  to  point  to  the  previous  existence  of  a  valley  much 
deeper  than  the  valley  of  Ewing  Creek  but  occupying  practically  the 
same  position. 

Deeper  valleys  than  the  present  probably  extended  in  the  directions 
of  Middle  Fork,  and  Pond  Creek,  but  very  little  information  was  found 
pertaining  to  these  localities.  Drilling  in  the  vicinity  of  Dering  mine 
No.  18  showed  about  60  feet  of  surface  deposit.  The  sand  and  clay 
along  Middle  Fork  is  probably  about  60  feet  in  thickness.  West  of  West 
Frankfort  the  surface  deposits  are  about  60  feet  thick.  Where  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  crosses  Middle  Fork,  and  in  sec.  10, 
T.  7,  R.  2,  and  in  sec.  16,  T.  7,  R.  2,  loose  materials  are  about  70  feet 
thick.  Along  Pond  Creek  south  of  West  Frankfort  in  sec.  25,  T.  7, 
R.  2,  in  one  well  the  old  soil  was  encountered  30  feet  below  the  level  of 
the  flood-plain.  Drillings  in  the  same  section  show  that  the  surface 
deposits  are  about  60  feet  deep.  On  the  prairie  lying  just  west  of  West 
Frankfort  in  sec.  24,  T.  7,  R.  2,  there  are  75  feet  of  sand  and  clay  before 
the  true  rock  is  reached.  In  the  hill  a  mile  west  the  rock  is  much  nearer 
the  surface. 

A  few  other  localities  offer  evidences  of  deep  surficial  materials. 
Along  Big  Muddy  flood-plain  in  the  northwest  comer  of  the  quadrangle 
there  is  about  75  feet  of  fluviatile  deposits — sand,  gravel,  and  clay — con- 
taining, as  is  the  case  in  all  the  localities  mentioned,  very  likely  some 
quicksand.  Along  the  lower  levels  of  Pond  and  Lake  creeks  in  William- 
son County  the  surface  deposits  are  70  to  75  feet  thick.  In  sec.  15, 
T.  8,  R.  2,  the  rock  is  about  50  feet  below  the  level  of  the  flood-plain. 


250 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


The  areas  above  mentioned  include  all  the  localities  of  deep  surface 
deposits.    Their  detailed  character  can  be  seen  from  the  drill  records  that 


are  given  below : 


From  the  prairie  lying  east  of  West  Frankfort. 


Thickness— feet. 

Surface 

16 

Sand  and  gravel 

17 

Blue  limestone  (?) 

24i 

Blue  mud  and  sticks 

From  southwest  of  West  Frankfort  along  Pond  Creek;  three  instances. 


Thickness- 

-feet. 

1 

2 

3 

Surface 

7 
14 
36 

12 

4 

41 

33 

Yellow  sand 

2 

Yellow  and  blue  clay 

17 

From  northeast  of  West  Frankfort  along  Middle  Fork. 


Thickness — feet. 


(Dering  No.  18  mine) 

Surface 

Sand 

Gravel 

Sand 

Drift 

Clay 

Sand 

Clay 

Sand 

Dark  soil 

Clay 

Sand 

Gravel 


From  along  Big  Muddy  River. 


Thickness— feet. 


Clay 

Sandy  clay 

Clay  and  gravel . 
Gravel  and  sand 


From  Williamson  County  along  Lake  and  Pond  Creeks. 


Yellow  hard-pan 

Yellow  sandy  clay 

Blue  clay 

Blue  clay  and  sand 

Yellow  sand  and  drift  logs 


Thickness— feet. 


CADY.]  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE.  251 

The  surface  de^^osits  on  the  uplands  are  shnilar  over  the  entire  quad- 
rangle. They  are  usually  thin,  not  often  exceeding  25  feet  in  thickness. 
The  following  sequence  usually  occurs : 

3.  (at  top).  A  light-yellow  to  nearly  white,  fine-grained,  sandy 
soil.  The  color  becomes  darker  where  the  soil  is  richer  in  organic  ma- 
terial, but  rarely  does  it  become  black.  This  is  the  material  that  has 
built  up,  to  a  large  extent,  the  flood-plains  of  the  streams.  During 
dry  weather  it  presents  an  ashy-white  appearance,  where  it  is  not  covered 
with  vegetation.  This  w^iite  surface  coating  is  often  found  on  exposed 
places  on  the  hills.  The  soil  A^aries  in  thickness  up  to  18  inches.  Often, 
especially  on  flats  and  where  there  is  room  for  the  collection  of  wash 
from  above,  the  soil  contains  many  small  brown  concretions  of  iron  car- 
bonate, locally  known  as  "buck-shot."  These  are  probably  originally 
formed  in  the  sub-soil  about  the  roots  of  plants  or  about  some  organic 
substance,  and  are  later  exposed  at  the  surface,  and  hardened  by  contact 
with  the  air.  This  upper,  flne-grained,  soil  seems  to  be  largely  the 
result  of  freezing  and  thawing  rain  w^ater,  and  of  the  activity  of  insects, 
worms,  and  other  agencies  of  soil  formation  upon  the  underlying  sub- 
soil, into  which  it  grades. 

2.  The  subsoil  is  a  grayish  to  buff  sandy  clay  often  called  "hard- 
pan."  It  usually  contains  a  few  quartz  pebbles;  otherwise  it  resembles 
well-packed  loess.  The  occurrence  of  soft  iron  carbonate  spoken  of 
under  (3)  as  small  irregTilar  blotches  not  over  one-half  inch  in  diameter 
is  characteristic  of  this  zone,  and  is  largely  responsible  for  its  darker 
color.  The  subsoil  may  be  as  much  as  6  feet  thick  and  grades  into  the 
zone  below. 

1.  The  underlying  deposit  is  a  completely-oxidized  glacial  till,  of 
brownish  or  reddish  color  and  commonly  contains  a  larger  proportion 
of  sand  than  clay.  There  are  glacial  bowlders  of  various  sizes,  though 
rarely  larger  than  6  inches  in  diameter.  The  till  is,  locally,  largely  com- 
l)osed  of  fragments  of  sandstone  where  the  underlying  rock  is  sandstone. 
Both  No.  1  and  No.  2  are  called  "hard-pan,"  since  both  are  practically 
impervious  and  form  at  different  places  the  bottoms  of  ponds,  cisterns, 
and  wells.     The  term  is,  however,  more  generally  applied  to  No.  2. 

PENNSYLVANIAX   ROCKS    (""COAL   MEASURES'^). 

The  drilling  records  which  reveal  the  geology  of  the  "Coal  Measures" 
extend  through  strata  650  feet  above  and  about  500  feet  below  No.  6 
coal,  making  1,150  feet  in  all.  The  greatest  number  of  records  penetrate 
rocks  lying  within  the  limits  of  300  feet  above  and  150  feet  below  the 
main  coal  bed. 

A  glance  at  representative  logs  of  various  townships  (PL  23)  will 
show  the  general  prevalence  of  sandstones  and  shales  at  all  horizons 
above  No.  6  or  the  "Blue-band  Coal."  In  the  great  mass  of  these  rocks 
other   strata    occur    as   irregular   lenses.      Sandstone,    shale,    limestone, 


252  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

coal,  etc.,  give  way  to  each  other  to  such  an  extent  that  in  many  cases 
test  holes  put  down  within  200  feet  of  each  other  show  a  very  marked 
difference  in  stratigraphic  succession. 

There  are  a  few  strata,  however,  in  the  "Coal  Measures''  that  occur 
over  wide  areas  at  about  the  same  relative  position.  Such  is  the  Carthage 
or  Carlinville  limestone,  which  was  formerly  regarded  as  the  top  of  the 
"Lower  Coal  Measures."  There  are  also  several  widely-occurring  coal 
beds.  No.  5  and  No.  6,  especially  the  latter,  are  the  most  persistent 
strata  found  in  the  drill  records  of  the  quadrangle.  Upon  their  wide- 
spread distribution  and  upon  the  persistent  character  of  their  associ- 
ated limestones  and  shales  depends  much  of  the  success  of  correlation  of 
the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  throughout  the  State. 

The  persistence  of  No.  6  coal  is  marked,  for  in  no  log  of  drilling  done 
north  of  the  outcrop  is  the  coal  entirely  absent.  In  the  vicinity  of  Half- 
way, several  logs  indicate  considerable  irregularity  in  the  coal,  or  errors 
in  reporting  the  logs.  In  this  region  definite  correlation  is  impossible 
with  information  available,  and  the  contouring  at  this  place  is  doubtful 

Although  No.  5  and  No.  6  coals  are  persistent  over  the  field,  a  varying 
interval  separates  them.  This  interval  amounts  to  about  100  feet  between 
Harrisburg  and  Marion,  and  to  about  50  feet  within  the  limits  ot  West 
Frankfort  quadrangle.  Subaqueous  erosion,  unequal  subsidence,  unequal 
settling  due  to  lack  of  uniformity  in  the  solidity  of  the  sediments,— these 
indicate  some  of  the  possible  reasons  for.  a  varying  interval  between  two 
strata  that  originally  must  have  been  laid  down  on  approximately  level 

CMpTOppG  

The  most  persistent  strata  second  to  the  coals  are  the  limestones.  The 
most  probable  occurrence  is  within  a  few  feet  of  the  coal,  both  above 
and  below,  but  principally  above.  The  limestone  above  No.  6  coal  is 
found  in  one-half  the  records.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  records  ot 
drillins-  east  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Kailroad  and  north  ol 
the  Coal  Belt  Railroad  show,  almost  without  exception,  no  limestone 
for  at  least  50  feet  above  No.  6  coal.  Mr.  T.  E.  Savage,  who  has  been 
enffaffed  in  coal  investigations  on  the  Herrin  quadrangle,  reports  the 
same  interval  between  the  coal  and  the  limestone  in  that  area.  Where 
the  roof  limestone  does  occur,  it  contains  a  certain  small  fossil 
(Fusulina  cylindrica)  that  has  been  found  in  the  limestone  above  No.  6 
coal  in  many  parts  of  the  State,  and  serves  as  a  very  important  aid  m 

correlation.  ^.  „       j     4.   ka 

Limestones  at  other  horizons  are  common.  They  are  found  at  dO 
feet  80  to  100  feet,  175  feet,  and  200  feet  above  No.  6  coal.^  The  strata 
from  200  to  300  feet  above  the  coal  are  singularly  lacking  m  limestone 
Especially  is  this  to  be  noted  here,  as  normally-in  the  areas  m  the  east 
—the  Carthage  limestone  occurs  at  about  265  feet  above  the  coal.  In 
certain  localities  in  the  Saline  County  coal  field  the  Carthage  limestone 
possibly  occurs  as  low  as  190  feet  above  No.  6  coal.  If  such  is  the  case 
in  this'  field  the  limestone  at  200  feet  in  log  No.  2  may  correspond  to  the 


258 

of  value 
le  cannot 

Dal  shows 
,  and  less 
at  about 

;low  Coal 
ae-Band" 
ed  on  to 


show  the 
le  bottom 
rst  a  gen- 
loal  field. 
»al  has  an 
corner  of 
sea  level, 
age  of  40 
es  or  re- 
.ladrangle 
Pranklin- 
ladr  angle 
!,  there  is 
lis  dip  is 
vards  the 
construct 

probable 
ds  in  the 
D  &  East- 
7n. 

•agraph  a 
a  part  of 

a  small 
am  to  the 
ae^  is  the 
up  of  the 
-ee  in  the 

not  new 
es  as  are 
d  show  a 

along  the 
I  a  north- 


252 

coal,  etc.,  give 
test  holes  put 
difference  in  st 

There  are  a 
over  wide  areas 
or  Carlinville  ] 
"Lower  Coal  ] 
beds.  No.  5  ) 
strata  found  i 
spread  distrib 
ated  limestone 
the  Pennsylva 

The  persist( 
north  of  the  o 
way,  several  L 
in  reporting  1 
with  informal 
(PL  24). 

Although  :t 
interval  separ 
Harrisburg  a] 
Frankfort  qu; 
settling  due  t 
indicate  som( 
strata  that  o 
surfaces. 

The  most ' 
most  probab 
and  below,  1 
found  in  on< 
drilling  east 
the  Coal  Be 
for  at  least 
engaged  in 
same  intervj 
the    roof    li 
(Fusulina  c 
coal  in  mar 
correlation. 

Limeston 
feet,  80  to  : 
from  200  t« 
Especially  :' 
—the  Carti 
certain  locf 
possibly  oc( 
in  this  fiel( 


CADY.]      GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFOKT  QUADRANGLE.        253 

Carthage  limestone.  This  correlation,  however,  does  not  s'eem  of  value 
to  the  writer,  and  on  present  evidence  the  Carthage  limestone  cannot 
be  identified  in  this  area. 

The  logs  (PI.  23)  showing  the  stratigraphy  below  N'o.  6  coal  shows 
the  same  persistence  of  the  shale  as  was  noticed  above  the  coal,  and  less 
sandstone.  Limestone  is  important  just  below  the  coal,  and  at  about 
50  and  again  at  125  feet  below  the  coal. 

A  single  log  that  shows  the  strata  to  a  depth  of  500  feet  below  Coal 
No.  6  reveals  a  workable  seam  of  coal  375  feet  below  the  '^^Blue-Band" 
coal.  With  this  exception  explorations  have  not  been  carried  on  to 
determine  the  extent  of  the  coal  below  No.  5. 

Structuke. 

An  attempt  is  made  in  the  accompanying  map  (PI.  24)  to  show  the 
structure  of  the  rocks  by  contours  based  upon  the  altitude  of  the  bottom 
of  the  coal.  Two  features  of  the  dip  are  apparent.  There  is  first  a  gen- 
eral direction  of  dip  toward  the  northeast, — the  center  of  the  coal  field. 
At  the  outcrop  near  mine  No.  2  of  the  Peabody  Coal  Co.,  the  coal  has  an 
altitude  of  about  500  feet  above  sea  level.  Near  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  quadrangle,  however,  the  coal  is  more  than  275  feet  below  sea  level. 
Thus,  it  dips  about  800  feet  in  about  twenty  miles,  or  an  average  of  40 
feet  a  mile.  In  the  second  place  there  are  local  irregularities  or  re- 
versals of  dip  and  even  faults.  Thus,  extending  across  the  quadrangle 
in  a  direction  a  little  south  of  east  from  the  point  where  the  Franklin- 
Williamson  county  line  meets  the  west  boundary  of  the  quadrangle 
to  sec.  22,  T.  8  S.,  E.  4  E.,  on  the  east  line  of  the  quadrangle,  there  is 
a  strip  a  mile  or  two  wide  of  pronounced  dip.  At  the  west  this  dip  is 
100  feet  to  the  mile.  Corresponding  structure  is  observed  towards  the 
east,  though  a  paucity  of  drill  holes  makes  it  impossible  to  construct 
the  contours  as  accurately  as  is  possible  further  west.  It  seems  probable 
that  further  drilling  will  reveal  steeper  grades  in  the  coal  beds  in  the 
country  just  south  of  Franklin  County  and  east  of  the  Chicago  &  East- 
ern Illinois  Eailroad  than  is  indicated  by  the  contours  as  drawn. 

At  the  foot  of  the  steep  dip  described  in  the  preceding  paragraph  a 
more  level  area  of  very  gentle  grade  is  noticed  in  the  southern  part  of 
Franklin  County.  In  the  vicinity  of  West  Frankfort  occurs  a  small 
anticline  where  the  coal  rises  rather  than  falls.  It  does  not  seem  to  the 
writer  a  mere  coincidence  that  this  region  of  slight  dip,  or  none,  is  the 
one  especially  troubled  with  gas  in  the  coal.  The  slight  bulging  up  of  the 
coal  may  afford  a  pocket  for  the  collection  of  the -gases  set  free  in  the 
formation  of  coal.  It  will  be  interesting  to  know  whether  or  not  new 
mines  near  West  Frankfort  will  encounter  the  same  difficulties  as  are 
met  with  in  the  mines  already  operating  in  that  district,  and  show  a 
relation  between  the. occurrence  of  gas  and  structure. 

A  second  region  of  pronounced  irregularity  is  to  be  observed  along  the 
southern  limit  of  the  field.    Minor  faults  and  folds,  trending  in  a  north- 


254 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.   16 


CHICMOO    XBIOMUDOV. 
COflLXCOKETCO 

MAP        SHOWING    -PHFIT 

OF  THE  V^/onK^N&S 

HNDTHCPoSiriOM  OTTWO. 

F  «  U  lTS 


Scale  -     ^^   I      I      lit 


R2e 


Te^t 


II 

1 

1 

% 

N     1     ^ 

^ 

•^ 

ifi.ys.'i 

'"'^\ 

'*    ^  ye/„ 

^2^^^ 

^ 

/a^ 

^"""^^J^^ 

JOO  Fccf 

v5co/e 

Fig.  7.    Sketch  showing  faults  in  a  mine. 


CADY] 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE. 


255 


south  direction  are  quite  coiniiion.  Two  such  faults  (Fig.  "i)  are  en- 
countered in  the  mine  of  the  Chicago  and  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co.  The 
one  on  the  east  is  a  block  faulted  along  fracture  planes  on  each  side. 
'J'he  up-throw  is  25  feet.  The  normal  fault  to  the  west  has  a  down-throw 
of  22  iidet,  maximum^,  becoming  less  toward  the  north.  Indications 
are  that  it  will  disappear  in  that  direction.  An  irregular  syncline  (PL 
25)  is  found  in  the  Oak  Eidge  mine  of  the  Johnston  City-Carterville 
Coal  Co.  These  are  the  only  important  disturbances  discovered  in  any 
of  the  mines  in  the  quadrangle. 

The  construction  of  the  contours  showing  the  elevation  of  the  bot- 
tom of  the  coal  was  accomplished  by  the  method  used  in  the  two  areas 
to  the  east.  The  following  quotation  from  the  report  on  Saline  and 
Williamson  counties^  is  entirely  applicable  to  this  field. 

The  elevation  of  the  ground  above  sea  level  was  determined  at  each  test 
boring  and  mine  shaft  and  from  this  figure  was  subtracted  the  depth  of 
Coal  No.  6  in  order  to  obtain  its  altitude.  Where  the  coal  lies  at  different 
altitudes  at  adjoining  locations,  the  dip  between  them  is  regarded  as  uni- 
form, and  points  of  equal  altitude  are  connected  by  a  contour  line.  The 
direction  of  dip  is  thus  assumed  to  be  perpendicular  to  the  contours  and 
the  amount  is  25  feet  between  adjoining  lines.  It  should  be  understood 
that  there  are  several  sources  of  error  in  the  map.  The  most  important 
is  the  assumption  that  the  dip  is  uniform  between  two  neighboring  datum 
points,  whereas  the  beds  may  lie  horizontal  for  part  of  the  distance  and 
steeply  inclined  for  the  remainder  or  even  be  displaced  by  faulting.  An- 
other error  of  minor  importance  has  doubtless  resulted  from  the  use  of  the 
hand-level  for  determining  surface  elevations. 

Tahle  of  surface  (lata. 


Location. 


Elevation. 


Township 
south. 


Range  east. 


Section.  Map  No. 


Feet  above  i 
level. 


Determined 


6 

2 

6        

3 

m 



m. .         

:■ 



6 

4 

7 

2 

i 

>DeWolf,  F.  W.,  Coal  investigations  in  Saline  and  Williamson  counties,  Illinois;  Bull.  111.  State  Geol. 
Survey  No.  8, 1908,  p.  234. 

-  (R)  Railroad  engineers;  (L)  Hand-level;  (E)  Estimate  from  topographic  map;  (A)  Aneroid  baro- 
meter. 


256 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 
Table  of  surface  data — Continued. 


[bull.  no.  16 


Location. 

Elevation. 

Township 
south. 

Range  east. 

Section. 

Map  No. 

Feet  above  sea 
level. 

Determined 
by. 

16 
21 
24 
25 
25 
27 
33 
35 

4 

8 

8 
10 
17 
18 
19» 
21 
23 
24 1 
28 
29 
35 

2 

6 
10 
15 
15' 
16 
19 

1 

2 

2 

2 

3 

3 

4 
10 
11 
13 
15 
15 
16 
21 
22 
23 
23 
24 
24 
24 
25 
27 
27 
28 
28=» 
32 
32 
33 
33 
33 
33* 
33* 
33 
33 
34 

1 
1 
1 
1 
3 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 

1 

379 
395 
407 
401 
394 
392 
384 
385 
391 
407 
404 
424 
385 
388 
410 
407 
437 
410 
414 
413 
433 
460 
428 
465 
484 
478 
484 
420 
468 
405 
404 
398 
393 
387 
380 
385 
398 
460 
386 
395 
379 
397 
410 
404 
412 
401 
408 
409 
423 
422 
427 
426 
425 
428 
450 
420 
440 
420 
428 
450 
445 
440 
447 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

■7 

3 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

1 
1 

L 

L 

L 

1 
1 

1 

L 

L 

L 

E 

-. 

4' 

L 



E 

1 

L 

L 

1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
2 

1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
2 
1 

1 
1 
1 
2 

2 
3 
1 
1 
2 

2 
4 
5 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
1 

L 

I. 

8 

2 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

I. 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

E 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

1          L 

^Mapped  by  error;  located  in  section  19. 
'Located  near  center  of  east  line. 
^'Mapped  by  error;  located  in  section  33. 
*  Located  mi  section  32. 


LliJL_ 


ady]  geology   of    the    WEST    FRANKFORT   QUADRANGLE. 

Table  of  surface  (Za/a— Continued. 


2n 


Location. 

Elevation. 

TowTiship 
south. 

Range  east. 

Section. 

Map  No. 

Feet  above  sea     1    Determined 
level.                        by- 

1 1 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

35 

35 

36 

36 

12 

18 

19 

19 

19 

20 

23 

23 

25 

26 

27 

27 

28 

29 

30 

301 

31 

31 

31 

31 

32 

32 

33 

33 

34 

34 

35 

35 

35 
8 
9 

18 

22 

22 

22 

27 

28 

30 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
2 
2. 
3 
3 
3 
3 

I 

4 
4 
4 
9 
9 
10 

2 
3 
4 
5 

6 
1 
2 
1 
2 

1 
1 
2 
3 

1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
2 
3 
4 
1 
2 
1 
2 
1 
2 
1 
2 
3 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
3 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
3 

2 
3 
4 

2 
3 
4 
5 

1 
2 
3 
4 

1 
2 

1 

442 
445 

L 
L 

457 
470 
452 
454 
465 
446 
446 
456 
428 
402 
422 
422 
512 
533 
547 
478 
446 
454 
460 
527 
440 
453 

L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
A 
A 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 
L 

3 

■  ■   ■ 

i             

1 



L 



455 
510 
453 
544 
472 
505 
481 
503 
492 
507 
471 
468 
493 
482 
502 
510 
488 
488 
481 
523 
519 
503 

L 
L 

L, 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 
L 

L 

4 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

2 

L 

515 
466 
485 
475 
473 
459 
467 
455 
440 
470 
443 
442 
443 
452 
475 
533 
461 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

A 

L 

L 

\j 

I> 

A 

L 

L 

'Mapped  by  error;  located  in  section  31. 


—17  G 


258 


YEAR  BOOK   FOR   1901). 
Table  of  surface  data — Concluded. 


[bull.  no.  16 


Location. 

Elevation. 

^ZX!"         Kangeeast. 

Section. 

Map  No. 

Feet  above  sea 
level. 

Determined 

by. 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

12 
1 
3 
4 
4 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
9 
9 
9 
9 
3 
4 
6 
8 
9 
9 

16 

1 
2 
3 
4 

5 
7' 
8 
9 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
1 
2 
3 
4 
1 
1 
1 

1 

2 

1 

476 
459 
497 
458 
448 
472 
464 
554 
504 
485 
465 
466 
455 
487 
491 
478 
497 
501 
493 
490 
485 
465 
510 
510 
502 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

9 

3 

A 

A 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

A 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

495 
490 
499 
500 
495 
500 
490 
483 
480 
466 
480 
473 
490 
472 
469 
465 
465 
451 
463 
470 
562 
530 
509 
538 
498 
476 
495 

A 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

A 

L 

L 

L 

L 

A 

4 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

A 

A 

Peabody  Mine  No.  1. 
'Omitted;  located  near  center  of  north  line. 


Though  the  combined  errors  are  thought  to  be  within  25  feet,  local 
engineers  may  wish  to  pursue  the  work  with  greater  refinement  of 
method.  The  following  table  gives  the  locations  and  the  elevations 
determined  by  hand-level  or  estimation  from  the  topographical  map, 
of  the  various  test  holes,  shafts  and  outcrops,  on  the  quadrangle.  Fol- 
lowing this  table  is  a  list  of  the  permanent  bench  marks.     On  the  map 


CADY]      GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE.       259 

are  various  figures,  usually  at  road  corners,  giving  the  elevation,  rough- 
ly, of  the  middle  of  the  road.  White  figures  placed  on  fences,  posts, 
etc.,  over  the  quadrangle  apply  to  the  elevation  of  the  middle  of  the  road 
unless  otherwise  indicated.  Where  these  figures  disagree  with  those 
given  on  the  map,  the  latter  shows  the  corrected  elevation.  By  means 
of  these  data  and  more  accurate  instruments  the  work  can  be  repeated 
with  greater  degree  of  accuracy. 

Bench  marks  of  the  West  Frankfort  Quadrangle. 

Christopher,  5.7  miles  east  of,  150  feet  southeast  of  road  crossing, 
at  northwest  corner  of  house  occupied  by  W.  M,  Wolf;  iron  post 
stamped  "438  1906"    439.161 

Benton,  Franklin  county  court  house,  1507  feet  north  of  station,  in 
stone  step  just  south  of  west  entrance;  aluminum  tablet  stamped 
"474  1906"   475.83^ 

Benton,  in  front  of  station;  top  of  rail 470.7 

Benton,  0.3  mile  each  of,  at  junction  of  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
and  Illinois  Central  railroads;  top  of  rail  471.1 

Benton,  2.3  miles  southeast  of,  90  feet  directly  north  of  milepost 
"E.  St.  Louis  92-Eldorado  29;"  iron  post  stamped  "405  1906" 406.605 

Smothers  (Smothersville  P.  O.),  in  front  of  station;  top  of  rail 481.5 

Smothersville  post-ofRce,  260  feet  southeast  of  road  crossing,  at 
northwest  corner  of  store  kept  by  M.  M.  Moore;  iron  post  stamped 
"479  1906" 479.994 

Parrish,  200  feet  northeast  of  road  crossing,  at  southwest  corner  of 
store  kept  by  Brown  &  Moore;  iron  post  stamped  "438  1906" 439.500 

Parrish,  in  front  of  station;  top  of  rail  438.1 

Thompsonville,  600  feet  south  of  road  crossing,  100  feet  east  of 
brick  schoal  house;  iron  post  stamped  "Prim.  Trav.  Sta.  No.  4 — 
494    1906" 495.401 

Thompsonville,  in  front  of  station;  top  of  rail  499.9 

Levels  for  adjoining  quadrangles  will  be  furnished  on  application  to 
the  office  of  the  Survey. 


COAL  EESOUECES. 
Production. 

The  area  under  discussion  includes  an  important  part  of  the  William- 
son-Franklin county  coal  field.  Because  of  the  unusual  thickness  of  the 
coal  bed  and  its  high  quality  this  field  has  recently  come  into  great 
prominence  and  probably  will  grow  rapidly  in  importance.  As  shown 
by  the  later  table,  there  are  24  mines  equipped  for  shipment  by  rail- 
road. Nearly  all  of  them  have  a  large  daily  production.  In  addition, 
there  are  numerous  country  banks  which  supply  local  needs.  Most  of 
the  coal  goes  to  the  Chicago  market. 

Williamson  County  production  reached  the  1,000,000  mark  in  1899, 
and  has  increased  so  rapidly  that  in  1909  it  barely  fell  short  of 
6,000,000.     Franklin  County  production  had  no  prominence  till  1905, 


260 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.  NO.  16 


but  since  that  time  has  increased  phenomenally.  The  accompanying 
table  shows  the  production  of  each  county  annually,  and  the  total  output 
since  1880.^ 


Coal  production  of  Franklin  and  Williamson  counties  in  short  tons. 


Year. 

Franklin 
production. 

WiUiamson 
production. 

1880                 ...                              .             . 

68,645 
130,382 
144,800 

1882 

1883 

1884 

127,615 

1885 

76, 208 

1886           

116,049 

1887 

112,338 

1888         

160,664 

1889 

202, 261 

1890                       ....                                          ...                   .          . 

700 
200 
200 
120^ 
620 

166,335 

1891 -. 

206,452 

1892 

322,486 

1893 

418, 426 

1894 

437, 157 

1895 

461,475 

1896 ■ 

444, 406 

1897 

669,480 

1898                      

915, 108 

1899 

1,078,755 

1900               

1,133,607 

1901 

1,605,960 

1902                     

2,013,692 

1903 

2,711,767 

1904                          

4,240 

136,788 

387,230 

•863,165 

1,678,195 

2,442,978 

3,010,635 

1905 

3,815,751 

1906                                                     .                     

3,927,189 

1907           

5,266,452 

1908 

5,367,140 

1909                             .              

5,901,815 

Totals                                                                           

5,514,436 

41,013,050 

THE  COALS. 
Extent  and  Thickness  of  the  Coals. 

The  important  coal  of  the  area  is  No.  G,  though  lower  seams  may  be- 
come important  in  the  future.  Eecent  reconnaissance  work  throughout 
the  State  has  made  it  possible  to  correlate  the  various  coal  beds  with  one 
another  more  accurately  than  heretofore.  The  following  statement 
from  a  recent  article  gives  the  reason  for  changing  the  number  of  the 
seam  in  Williamson  County  from  7  to  6  as  is  done  in  this  report: 

"In  the  work  of  early  State  surveys  the  Illinois  coals  were  numbered 
from  1,  at  the  bottom,  to  16,  at  the  top,  and  the  same  method  was  used 
in  Kentucky,  where,  however,  additional  beds  of  the  lower  coals  were 
found.  The  numbers,  therefore,  are  confusing;  Illinois  Nos.  5  and  7 
being  identical  respectively  with  Kentucky  Nos.  9  and  11.  Even  in  Illi- 
nois the  numbers  have  been  incorrectly  assigned,  and  the  same  bed  is  now 
known  under  several  numbers.  Thus^  Coal  No.  7  of  Saline  and  William- 
son counties  is  undoubtedly  the  seam  known  as  Nos.  6  and  7  at  Du- 
quoin,  and  as  No.  6  in  the  Belleville  region,  and  is  probably  the  same 


'David  Ross,  Secretary:    Illinois  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics. 
^Includes  Hamilton  and  .TefTerson  counties, 


cady] 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WEST  FRANKFORT  QUADRANGLE. 


261 


as  No.  6  near  Peoria  and  No.  5  south  of  Chatham.''  This  fact  is  demon- 
strated beyond  doubt  by  the  study  of  drill  records  and  of  the  fossils  of 
the  roof-limestone.  Since  the  term  "No.  6"  is  already  in  wide  use  in 
Illinois  and  in  Indiana  for  this  bed  it  seems  best  to  drop  the  name  "No. 
7"  in  Williamson  County. 

The  widespread  occurrence  of  No.  5  and  No.  6  coals  in  this  area  has 
previously  been  discussed  under  "general  stratigraphy."  Both  are  pres- 
ent in  all  drilling  north  of  the  outcrop  that  penetrates  to  their  respective 
horizons.  The  outcrop  of  No.  6  coal  is  an  irregular  line  extending 
from  about  where  the  Coal  Belt  Eailroad  enters  the  area  on  the  west 
to  the  southern  limit  of  Crab  Orchard  Creek  on  the  map.  The  outcrop 
extends  further  south  where  the  country  is  higher,  and  has  been  eroded 
further  north  in  the  valleys. 

In  thickness  No.  6  vein  averages  about  9  feet  with  a  maximum,  thick- 
ness of  12  to  13  feet  and  a  possible  minimum  of  52  inches.  The  table 
below  gives  the  various  thicknesses  of  the  vein  reported  in  149  cases 
covering  the  entire  quadrangle. 


Thickness  of  Coal  No.  6  in  borings  penetrating  its  horizon. 


Thickness— inches. 

No.  of  records- 
Coal  No.  6. 

Thickness— inches.; 

No.  of  records — 
Coal  No.  6. 

51  and  less       

0 

14 

3 

1 

96  

9 

52 

97 

3 

54 

98 

3 

60 

100 

3 

62 

101 

31 

64 

102 

6 

66 

103 

1 

68  .       

104 

2 

69 

105 

1 

70              

106   . . 

1 

72 

108 

27 

75 

109 

1 

77 

110 

4 

80 

Ill 

1 

82 

112  

1 

83 

113 

2 

84  

114  . 

2 

85 

116 

2 

86  .  ..     

118 

1 

88 

119 

1 

90 

120 

1 

91 

122 

2 

92 

124 

1 

93 

126 . 

1 

94 

138 

1 

95 

1 

In  its  typical  occurrence  a  foot  or  so  of  shale  separates  the  coal  from 
a  limestone  about  four  feet  thick.  The  coal  itself  is  characterized  by 
the  occurrence  of  the  "blue-band"  one  to  two  feet  above  the  base  of  the 
coal.  This  band  of  gray  shale  averages  IV2  inch  in  thickness,  and  is  the 
only  persistent  impurity  in  the  coal.  Occasional  streaks  of  clay,  sul- 
phur, and  mineral  charcoal  are  found  in  the  coal,  locally  to  a  consider- 
able extent.  About  a  foot  below  the  top  of  the  bed  there  is  a  natural 
parting.  The  coal  above  this  is  often  left  when  the  roof  is  not  good. 
Below  the  coal  is  usually  a  shaly  fire  clay,  or  gray  shale;  and  below 
this,  in  the  majority  of  the  mines,  is  a  limestone. 


262  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [Bull.  no.  16 

At  only  two  places  on  the  quadrangle  are  there  mines  working  a  coal 
below  the  No.  6  bed.  At  Spillertown  the  Spillertown  Coal  and  Coke  Co. 
is  raining  from  a  coal  75  feet  below  No.  6.  The  bed  is  41/2  feet  thick, 
and  is  clean,  hard  and  brittle.  A  well-marked  face  is  left  after  shooting. 
Only  occasional  sulphur  balls  or  streaks  are  found,  and  these  are  easily 
picked  out.  The  roof  is  slate  and  very  good.  It  contains  no  niggerheads, 
contrary  to  the  usual  condition  of  No.  5  coal.  Small  pebbly  concre- 
tions protrude  from  the  roof,  however,  as  with  No.  5  at  Eldorado.  But 
one  horse-back,"  or  clay  slip  has  been  encountered  in  this  mine.  It  is 
about  two  feet  thick  and  trends  in  a  northwest-southeast  direction.  The 
floor  is  fire  clay. 

A  little  more  than  one  mile  west  of  Spillertown  several  drill  holes 
show  a  coal  4  feet  thick,  about  40  feet  below  No.  6.  This,  as  has  been 
noted,  is  the  so-called  "Black  Diamond"  seam.  A  shaft  has  been  sunk 
to  it  on  sec.  33,  T.  8  S.,  K.  2  W.,  but  has  not  been  operated  in  the 
last  two  years.  A  second  4-foot  bed  is  found  about  40  feet  further 
down. 

The  coal  worked  at  the  Ingrara  mine  IV2  miles  southwest  of  Marion 
is  probably  the  same  as  the  Spillertown  coal.  In  sinking  this  shaft  a 
much-broken  seam  was  encountered  about  35  feet  above  the  coal  that  is 
being  worked. 

The  exact  correlation  of  these  coals  below  No.  6  will  probably  be  in- 
dicated in  the  final  report  on  this  area.  While  they  probably  represent 
No.  5  of  Saline  County,  it  may  be  that  the  "Black  Diamond"  is  an 
unusually  thick  development  of  the  coal  lying  half-way  between  Nos.  5 
and  6  in  the  counties  to  the  east. 

Quality  of  the  Coals   (Chemical  Analyses). 
(By  F.  W.   DeWolf.) 

The  quality  of  Coals  6  and  5  is  indicated  by  the  accompanying  analy- 
ses. These  represent  face  samples  collected  by  various  members  of  the 
Survey  in  a  uniform  manner.  "Each  was  obtained  from  a  clean  face 
of  the  coal  by  cutting  a  channel  from  top  to  bottom  and  collecting  the 
fragments  on  oil  cloth.  After  each  sample  was  crushed  and  quartered 
down  it  was  placed  in  an  air-tight  can  before  leaving  the  mine.  Analy- 
sis was  made  within  a  week  after  sampling."  The  analyses  therefore 
include  all  the  natural  moisture  of  the  coal  and  exclude  impurities  which 
frequently  fall  from  the  roof  or  are  shoveled  from  the  floor  along  with 
the  coal.  They  also  exclude  the  "blue  band"  and  any  other  partings  ex- 
ceeding 1/2  inch  in  thickness  which  may  have  occurred  at  the  place 
where  the  sample  was  taken. 


CADY]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    WEST    FRANKFORT    QUADRANGLE.  263 

Analyses^  of  coals  from  West  Frankfort  quadrangle  (Face  samples). 

FRANKLIN  COUNTY. 
(Coal  No.  6  (12  samples  from  3  mines.) 


As  Received. 

1 

Oven  Dry. 

"Unit  Coal." 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

9.41 

8.42 

1.43 

12,209 

9.23 

6.61 

1.05 

11,886 

9.32 

7.51 

1.21 

12,047 

Ash 

9.28 

7.24 

8.27 

B.t.  u 

13, 451 

13,064 

13,271 

14,771 

14,491 

14,614 

WILLIAMSON  COUNTY. 
(Coal  No.  6.    (5  samples  from  5  mines.) 


Moistiu-e 

10.15 

12.92 

4.15 

12,211 

6.12 

6.94 

.95 

11,698 

8.43 

9.77 

2.12 

11,905 

Ash 

13.76 

7.66 

10.64 

Sulphur 

B.t.u 

13, 475 

12,462 

13,006 

14,799 

14,742 

14,765 

(Coal  No.  5.    (1  sample  from  1  mine.) 


6.29 

10.00 

3.61 

12, 251 

Ash  .. 

10.68 

Sulphur   

B.t.  u 

13,073 

14,930 

Analyses  mostly  by  W.  F.  Wheeler  and  J.  M.  Lindgren  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr. 


264 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Mines  and  Mining  Equipment. 

The  accompanying  list  includes  the  mines  of  the  quadrangle  which 
are  classified  as  "shipping  mines:'' 

Table  showing  mines  of  the  quadrangle. 


Company 


Mine. 


Location. 

^ 

Z 

a 

tf 

a 

M 

W 

(X 

^ 

H 

tf 

1 

Coal  No.  6. 


1  Benton  Coal  Co 

2  Brazil  Block  Coal  Co 

3  Brazil  Block  Coal  Co 

4  Carterville  &  Herrin  Coal  Co 

5  Carterville  District  Coal  Co 

Chicago  &  Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Coke  Co. . 

Colp  Coal  Co 

Consumers  Coal  Co 

Consumers  Coal  Co 

Hart-Williams  Coal  Co 

Johnston  City,  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co 

Johnston  City,  St.  Louis  Coal  Co 

Keystone,  Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Coke  Co. . 

14  Peabody  Coal  Co 

15  Peabody  Coal  Co 

16  Peabody  Coal  Co 

17  Scranton  Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Mining  Co. 

18  Smothersville-Schuyler  County  Coal  Co. 

19  Southern  Illinois  Coal  Co 

20  Spillertown  Coal  &  Coke  Co 

21  Watson  Coal  Co 

22  Watson  Coal  Co 

23  West  Virginia  Coal  Co 

24  Williamson  County  Coal  Co 


Benton . 

11 

18 

Jeffrey. 


Big  Muddy 

Colp 

New  Virginia . . 

White  Ash 

Hart- Williams. 
Johnston  City  . 


Keystone. 

12 

2 


3 

Scranton 

S  mot  hers  ville . 
Oak  Ridge  — 


West  Virginia 


618 
500 
500 
143 
.  Ill 
100 
223 
128 
114 
652 
206 
270 
247 
Outcrop 
93 
113 
162 


108 
120 


108 
108 

96 

84 
108 

90 
114 
102 
108 

72 
108 
108 
108 

84 


142 

108 
70 


108 
48 

108 

108 
96 

112 


-Abandoned;  worked  out. 

The  year  1908-9  has  seen  some  improvement  in  the  mining  methods 
in  several  of  the  mines  of  the  field.  There  is  a  decided  tendency  toward 
the  adoption  of  machines  and  some  sort  of  mechanical  haulage. 

Three  mines  in  the  field  are  reported  as  having  electric  haulage, — 
West  Virginia  Mine,  Chicago  &  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co.'s  mine,  and  Hart 
and  Williams'  mine.  The  Carterville  District  mine  uses  rope  haulage 
in  part;  other  mines  einploy  mule  haulage.  The  cars  are  usually  of 
two-ton  capacity.  Hand-mining  is  the  rule  and  punchers  are  more 
common  than  chain  machines.  Ten  mines  of  the  field  employ  machines 
at  least  in  part. 

The  different  mines  have  very  different  drainage  conditions  to  meet. 
There  is  a  belt  of  mines  extending  from  White  Ash  to  Johnston  City 
along  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Eailroad  including  White  Ash,  New 
Virginia,  and  Williamson  County  mines  that  are  especially  troubled  witli 
water.  It  is  in  these  mines  that  the  greatest  number  of  pumps  arc 
needed.  In  other  localities  one  pump  is  generally  suffcient  to  handle 
the  water. 


CADYj  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    WEST    FRANKFORT   QUADRANGLE.  265 

The  size  of  the  shafts  over  the  district  is  approximately  9x15,  varying 
perhaps  a  foot  or  so  in  either  direction  in  the  different  mines.  Main 
entries  vary  in  width,  from  as  narrow  as  8  feet  to  as  much  as  16  feet. 
Entry  pillars  vary  from  12  feet  to  45  feet,  the  average  being  30  feet. 
Rooms  are  found  from  18  to  22  feet  wide  with  room  pillars  varying  in 
width  from  10  to  20  feet  and  averaging  between  12  and  15  feet.  The 
coal  is  without  noticeable  cleat,  and  the  entries  are  driven  in  the  major 
directions. 

Practically  all  the  new  mines  are  equipped  with  steel  tipple,  and  all 
the  commercial  mines  have  self-dumping  cages.  Peabody  Coal  Co.'s 
mine  No.  3  is  the  only  mine  in  the  field  that  washes  its  coal  at  this 
date. 


2(56  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


THE  GEOLOGY  AND  COAL  RESOURCES  OF  THE  HERRIN, 
ILLINOIS,  QUADRANGLE. 

(By  T.  E.  Savage.) 
(Surveyed  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.) 


Contents. 

Page. 

Introduction , 167 

Location  and  importance  of  the  area 267 

Acknowledgements 268 

Surface  relief  and  drainage 268 

General  geology 269 

Stratigraphy 269 

Surficial  materials 27o 

Indurated  rocks 270 

Description  of  the  stratigraphic  column 271 

Pottsville  formation 271 

LaSalle  formation 272 

Petersburg  formation 273 

McLeansboro  formation 274 

Structure 274 

General  description 274 

Use  of  structural  map 280 

Coal  resources 28o 

Extent  of  Coals  No.  5  and  No.  6 280 

Coal  No.  6 281 

Coal  No.  5 282 

Chemical  analyses  of  the  coals 282 

Mines  and  mining  methods ^ 283 

Plates. 

26.  Stratigraphic  sections  from  Herrin  quadrangle 272 

27.  A.    Exposure  along  Crab  Orchard  Creek  of  shale  and  sandstone  of  the  LaSalle  formation  . . .  274 
B.    Exposure  of  base  of  Petersburg  formation,  showing  coal  No.  5,  and  "  nigger-heads" 274 

28.  Map  showing  geologic  structure  of  Herrin  quadrangle PocVet 

29.  Photograph  of  a  small  anticlinal  arch 278 

30.  Map  showing  alternative  interpretation  of  structure  in  T.  7  S.,  R.  1  W 280 

31.  Photograph  of  an  outcrop  of  Coal  No.  6  and  its  roof-shale » 282 

Figure. 

8.    Sketch  showing  thrust  fault  in  a  mine 279 


SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HERRIN   QUADRANGLE.  267 


INTEODUCTION. 

Location  and  Importance  of  the  Area. 

The  district  described  in  this  paper  produces  more  coal  than  any  other 
area  of  equal  size  in  Illinois.  It  is  a  rectangle  in  shape,  approximately 
250  square  miles  in  extent,  situated  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
State,  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Illinois  coal  field.  It  lies  roughly 
between  the  towns  of  Carbondale  and  Marion  on  the  south,  and  Duquoin 
and  Benton  on  the  north;  and  includes  portions  of  four  counties,  as 
follows:  About  65  square  miles  in  the  northwest  part  of  Williamson, 
78  square  miles  in  southwest  Franklin,  22  square  miles  in  southeast 
Perry,  and  84  square  miles  in  the  northeast  portion  of  Jackson. 

The  region  has  been  mapped  topographically  by  the  State  Geological 
Survey  and  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,^  in  cooperation.  The  name 
Herrin  quadrangle  has  been  applied  to  the  area,  from  the  town  of  Herrin 
which  is  a  rapidly  developing  coal  center  in  the  southeast  quarter  of 
the  district.  The  Herrin  quadrangle  joins  the  West  Frankfort  on  the 
west,  and  the  coal  field  here  discussed  is  a  westward  continuation  of  the 
Johnston  City  field,  in  Williamson  County.  There  are  operated  within 
this  area  32  commercial  coal  mines,  the  output  of  which  for  the  year 
ending  July  1st,  1908,  was  nearly  5,000,000  tons.  Notwithstanding  this 
large  production,  the  development  of  the  coal  resources  of  this  region 
has  scarcely  passed  beyond  the  initial  stage.  Four  new  mines  were 
opened  in  the  area  during  1908,  and  the  growing  importance  of  the 
field  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  between  the  years  1905  and  1908,  the 
coal  output  increased  nearly  2,000,000  tons. 

With  the  exception  of  about  40  square  miles  in  the  south  and  south- 
west portions,  the  area  is  underlain  by  two  seams  of  coal  respectively 
about  9  and  4  feet  in  thickness,  within  easy  working  distance  below  the 
surface.  The  quality  of  the  coal  in  both  of  these  seams  is  good,  and 
the  mining  conditions  in  both  are  extremely  favorable.  A  good  market 
for  the  output  is  afforded  by  the  presence  of  several  lines  of  railroad 
within  the  quadrangle.  The  main  line  of  the  Illinois  Central  passes 
through  the  western  part  of  the  area  between  Duquoin  and  Carbondale. 
A  branch  of  the  Illinois  Central,  between  St.  Louis  and  Eldorado,  crosses 
the  northern  portion  of  the  quadrangle.  Other  branches  of  the  sams 
road  between  Carbondale  and  Johnston  City,  and  Carbondale  and  Marion 
furnish  a  good  outlet  for  the  southern  portion  of  the  area.    The  Chicago, 


^Copiesofthismapcan  be  obtained  for  five  cents  each  from  the  Director  of  the  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey- 
Washington  D.  C,  or  the  Director,  State  Geol.  Survey,  Urbana,  111. 


268  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Burlington  &  Quincy  connects  Herrin  with  Centralia  and  the  north; 
while  the  St.  Louis,  Iron  Mountain  &  Southern  supplies  a  branch  to 
Zeigler  and  to  Herrin.  An  electric  line  also  connects  'Herrin  with 
Marion  and  Carterville.  The  toAvn  of  Herrin,  situated  in  the  midst  of 
this  coal  field,  and  furnished  with  exceptional  railroad  facilities,  is 
destined  to  become  of  constantly  increasing  importance  as  a  center  of 
coal  production  and  distribution  in  Illinois. 

Acknowledgments. 

In  1868,  a  report  on  the  geology  of  Jackson  and  Perry  counties  was 
published  by  Worthen  in  Volume  III  of  the  Illinois  Geological  Survey 
reports.  Seven  years  later  a  description  of  the  geology  of  Williamson 
and  Franklin  counties  appeared  in  Volume  VI  of  the  same  series  of 
reports.  Since  1875  no  detailed  work  was  done  in  this  particular  region, 
until  the  study  was  taken  up  by  the  present  Survey  in  recent  years. 

The  present  paper  is  preliminary  to  a  more  complete  description  of 
the  geology  of  the  region  which  will  be  one  of  a  series  of  reports  pre- 
senting the  results  of  a  continuous  survey  of  an  area  about  17  1-8  miles 
in  width,  which  extends  across  the  state  from  the  Mississippi  river,  near 
Murphysboro,  to  the  Indiana  line.  Topographic  maps  of  this  belt  have 
been  made,  and  the  geology  of  the  area  has  now  been  studied  in  detail. 
Economic  reports  on  the  eastern  quadrangles  of  this  belt  have  been  pub- 
lished by  Mr.  DeWolf.^ 

The  annual  reports  of  the  Illinois  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  have 
given  valuable  data  on  mining  and  mine  equipment,  and  statistics  on  the 
coal  production  of  this  area  from  year  to  year. 

In  the  study  of  the  glacial  geology  of  the  State,  Leverett-  visited  this 
area,  and  described  some  of  the  topographic  features  and  published  a 
few  records  of  local  wells. 

Mr.  Jon  Udden^  has  made  a  study  of  a  small  district  adjacent  to 
Duquoin,  and  has  described  the  structure  of  the  "Coal  Measure"  beds 
in  that  locality. 

Much  of  our  knowledge  of  the  stratigraphy  of  the  area  and  the  struc- 
ture of  the  coal  seams  was  made  possible  only  through  the  cooperation 
of  the  coal  operators,  who  generously  furnished  to  the  Survey  copies 
of  the  private  records  of  their  shafts  and  test  borings.  Appreciation  of 
this  service  is  here  gladly  acknowledged.  Thanks  are  also  due  to  J.  M. 
Lindgren  and  others  who  made  the  chemical  analyses  of  the  coal  samples 
collected  by  the  writer,  and  to  Mr.  DeWolf  who  kindly  prepared  a  state- 
ment of  the  results  and  the  significance  of  these  analyses  for  this  re- 
port. 

SURFACE  RELIEF  AND  DRAINAGE. 

The  range  of  surface  relief  within  the  quadrangle  is  about  230  feet, 
although  the  altitude  over  more  than  four-fifths  of  the  area  is  included 


»De  Wolf:    Bull.  No.  8,  111.  Geol.  Survey,  1907. 

-I  everett,  Illinois.     Glacial  Lobe:    U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  No.  XXXVIII. 

3IJdden:    Coal  deposits  and  oil  field  near  Duquoin,  111.    The  Mining  World,  March  13,  1909.    Pages 

287-289. 


SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HEKRIN   QUADRANGLE.  269 

between  380  and  460  feet  above  the  sea.  The  lowest  point  is  about 
three  miles  southwest  of  De  Soto,  where  the  Big  Muddy  River  leaves 
the  quadrangle.  The  highest  points  are  reached  in  the  hills  two  miles 
northeast  of  Mulkeytown,  which  rise  slightly  above  540  feet. 

The  surface  drainage  of  the  area  is  entirely  accomplished  by  Big 
Muddy  Eiver  and  its  branches.  This  river  is  tributary  to  the  Mississippi, 
which  it  joins  about  25  miles  further  southwest,  near  the  northwest 
comer  of  Union  County.  The  important  affluents  of  the  Big  Muddy 
within  the  quadrangle  are  Little  Muddy  Eiver,  in  the  northwest  portion, 
and  Crab  Orchard  Creek  in  the  southwest.  The  generally  level  char- 
acter of  the  surface  affords  favorable  conditions  for  transportation,  and 
has  made  possible  the  easy  construction  of  railroads  to  every  portion  of 
the  field. 

The  detailed  topography  of  the  area  and  the  location  of  the  timber 
tracts,  public  roads,  railroads,  houses,  etc.,  are  shown  on  the  topo- 
graphic map  of  this  quadrangle.  The  relief  and  altitude  of  the  sur- 
face are  indicated  on  this  map  by  contour  lines,  each  of  which  passes 
through  points  of  equal  elevation  above  the  sea.  The  successive  contour 
lines  are  separated  on  the  ground  by  a  vertical  interval  of  twenty  feet. 
There  is  a  belt  of  low  bottom-land,  two  to  four  miles  in  width,  bordering 
Big  Muddy  and  Little  Muddy  rivers.  The  uplands  are  fairly  well  drained, 
but  the  surface  is  generally  level  or  very  gently  sloping.  Only  over  small 
areas  does  the  topography  become  rugged,  as  in  the  northeast  portion  of 
Carbondale  Township,  and  the  south  part  of  Tyrone  Township.  The 
unusual  height  of  the  hills,  which  at  these  points  rise  80  to  100  feet 
above  the  general  level  of  the  upland,  is  due  to  the  resistant  nature  of 
the  sandstones  composing  them. 


GENEEAL  GEOLOGY. 

In  the  study  of  the  coals  of  this  region  an  effort  was  made  to  de- 
termine the  number  of  coal  seams  of  commercial  importance  occurring 
in  the  quadrangle;  the  area  underlain  by  each  of  these  seams;  the  thick- 
ness and  the  depth  below  the  surface  of  each  seam  at  various  points; 
and  the  structure  of  the  beds,  including  the  dips  and  deformations  of 
the  coals  and  the  character  of  the  associated  strata  as  factors  affecting 
the  ease  of  mining. 

On  account  of  the  thick  mantle  of  surficial  materials  in  this  region, 
good  exposures  of  indurated  rock  occur  only  infrequently  along  the 
streams.  The  greater  part  of  the  data  concerning  the  coal  seams  and  the 
associated  strata  was  obtained-  from  the  numerous  records  of  coal  test 
borings  and  mine  shafts  that  have  been  put  down  over  this  area.  Sup- 
plementary information  was  derived  from  the  logs  of  water  wells  at 
various  points. 

Stratigraphy. 

The  rocks  of  this  region  consist  of  a  mantle  of  loose  surficial  materials, 
overlying  more  consolidated  beds  of  indurated  rock. 


270  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  1« 

SUKFJOTAL    MATEKIALS. 

Ill  142  drill  records  within  the  (luadraiigle  tho  surlicial  materials 
have  an  average  thickness  of  about  40  feet.  These  deposits  are  thin 
over  the  upland  areas,  that  constituted  the  higher  lands  during  the  late 
pre-glacial  time.  They  are  deep  over  the  valleys  of  the  early  Pleistocene 
streams.  The  larger  of  these  old  drainage  courses  are  followed,  for  the 
most  part,  by  the  present  streams  of  the  area.  These  ancient  channels 
were  broad  and  considerably  deeper  than  the  present  valleys.  This  is 
shown  in  the  fact  that  over  a  belt  two  to  four  miles  wide,  bordering 
Big  Muddy  and  Little  Muddy  rivers,  the  channels  have  been  carved  in 
the  "Coal  Measure"  strata,  75  to  90  feet  below  the  present  river  beds; 
the  depth  reaching  115  feet  in  sec.  22,  T.  8.  S.  ,\l.  1  W.,  and  in  sec.  4, 
T.  9  S.,  E.  1  W.,  a  few  miles  below  the  junction  of  these  rivers. 

Over  the  uplands  the  surficial  materials  consist  of  fine-grained  loess- 
like silt,  18  inches  to  8  or  10  feet  in  thickness,  underlain  by  pebbly 
clay  or  till  to  a  varying  depth  of  from  8  to  25  feet.  Along  the  larger 
water  courses  where  these  mantle  materials  are  thickest,  they  are  com- 
posed largely  of  fluvial,  or  fine,  glacio-fluvial  materials.  A  bed  of  quick- 
sand, 6  to  25  feet  in  thickness,  is  often  found  near  the  base  of  these  de- 
posits. This  sand  runs  easily,  and  has  proven  a  serious  obstacle  in  sink- 
ing coal  shafts  at  a  number  of  points  in  the  vicinity  of  the  larger 
streams.  Above  the  quicksand  the  materials  consist  of  sand  and  clay, 
often  mingled  in  varying  proportions,  and  frequently  containing  beds 
of  till  and  thin  bands  of  gravel. 

INDURATED  ROOKS. 

The  indurated  rocks  underlying  the  unconsolidated,  surficial  ma- 
terials in  this  region  consist  of  alternating  beds  of  sandstone  and  shale, 
with  occasional  layers  of  limestone  and  seams  of  coal.  These  rocks 
were  studied  in  the  limited  number  of  surface  exposures  that  were  pres- 
ent, and  from  the  records  of  nearly  200  test  borings,  coal  shafts,  and  wells 
that  have  penetrated  them  to  a  varying  depth  of  100  to  more  than  1,000 
feet.  The  greater  number  of  these  borings  were  made  for  coal,  and 
drilling  was  usually  discontinued  -after  the  main  seam.  Coal  No.  6,  was 
passed  through.  About  40  of  the  drillings  went  through  the  lower  coal, 
No.  5,  while  a  few  holes  were  put  down  several  hundred  feet  below  this 
seam.  A  deep  boring  at  St.  Johns,  a  short  distance  north  of  the  quad- 
rangle, was  made  to  a  depth  of  3,600  feet,  and  reached  the  Tl-enton 
limestone.  With  the  exception  of  the  log  of  this  very  deep  drilling,  and 
two  others  of  lesser  depth,  all  of  the  strata  studied  from  drill  records 
or  exposed  at  the  surface  belong  to  the  Pennsylvanian  series  ("Upper 
Carboniferous"  or  "Coal  Measures"). 

In  the  early  reports  on  the  geology  of  Illinois  the  successive  coal 
seams  in  the  state  were  assigned  numbers,  beginning  witli  number  1  at 
the  bottom.  More  recent  work  has  demonstrated  that  the  numbers 
formerly  applied  to  the  various  coal   seams  in   different  parts  of  the 


SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HEREIN    QUADRANGLE.  271 

State  do  not  always  indicate  their  true  correlation.  However,  the  num- 
bers are  locally  consistent,  and  for  lack  of  better  horizons  for  reference 
as  datum  planes  the  use  of  numbers  for  the  principal  coal  seams  of  the 
area  will  be  continued  in  this  paper.  The  following  change  in  the  use 
of  the  numbers'  is  to  be  noted :  The  thick,  blue-band  coal,  which  is  the 
principal  seam  worked  in  this  area,  will  be  designated  Coal  No.  6  in- 
stead of  ^0.  7,  as  in  Worthen's  reports  on  Williamson  and  Franklin 
counties  and  other  counties  to  the  east.  This  seam  is  also  the  equivalent 
of  the  Duquoin  Coal  of  the  Perry  County  report,  and  corresponds  with 
Coal  No.  6  in  the  Belleville  field.  The  4-foot  seam,  occurring  about 
35  feet  below  the  base  of  No.  6,  will  be  referred  to  as  Coal  No.  5.  Another 
seam,  about  250  feet  below  No.  5,  will  be  designated  Coal  No.  2.  These 
respective  coal  seams  are  persistent  and  easily  recognized  horizons;  the 
divisions  of  the  Pennsylvanian  series  in  this  region  are  made  with  ref- 
erence to  them,  as  shown  below.  The  names  used  to  designate  the  several 
formations  of  the  Pennsylvanian  series  in  this  region,  and  the  reasons 
for  their  selection,  are  explained  by  Mr.  DeWolf  on  page  179. 


Table  of  Formations — Pennsylvanian  Series. 


1 


McLeansboro  formation — This  formation  embraces  all  of  the  "Pennsylva- 
nian" beds  occurring  above  Coal  No.  6  in  this  area. 

Petersburg  formation — Comprises  the  strata  between  the  base  of  Coal  No. 
5  and  the  top  of  Coal  No.  6. 

LaSalle  formation — Includes  the  strata  lying  between  the  base  of  Coal 
No.  5  and  the  base  of  Coal  No.  2. 

Pottsville  formation! — Consists  of  sandstones,  thin  shales  and  thin  coal 
beds  lying  between  the  base  of  Coal  No.  2  and  the  top  of  the  Mississippian 
series.  This  is  considered  the  equivalent  of  the  Pottsville  formation  of  the 
Appalachian  region. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE   STRATIGRAPHIC    COLUMN. 

Pottsville  foimation — The  strata  of  this  lower  formation  of  the  Penn- 
sylvanian series  are  known  within  the  quadrangle  from  the  logs  of  two 
or  three  borings  which  pass  entirely  through  the  Pennsylvanian  de- 
posits, into  the  underlying  Mississippian  beds;  and  from  the  records  of 
the  few  other  drillings  which  penetrate  the  strata  below  Coal  No.  2 
to  a  varying  depth  of  from  100  to  400  feet.  Further  south,  the  full  sec- 
tion of  the  beds  of  this  formation  outcrops  within  a  dozen  miles  of  the 
southern  border  of  the  quadrangle.  In  passing  north  from  Cobden  to 
Carbondale,  along  the  Illinois  Central  Eailroad,  the  outcrops  of  suc- 
cessively higher  beds  of  hard  sandstone  appear  as  a  .series  of  conspicuous 
ridges.  Prom  the  crests  of  these  ridges  the  layers  are  seen  to  dip 
northward  at  a  low  angle,  so  that  strata  of  successively  younger  age 
form  the  ridges  that  are  encountered  to  the  northward.  The  aggregate 
thickness  of  the  strata  of  this  formation  in  the  region  south  of  Car- 
bondale is  estimated  at  750  feet.  Within  the  quadrangle  the  great- 
est thickness  recorded  in  the  drill  records  shows  676  feet  of  Pennsyl- 
vanian strata  between  Coal  No.  2  and  the  bottom  of  the  Pennsylvanian 
series.  In  the  boring  at  St.  Johns,  a  thickness  of  less  than  400  feet 
is  recorded  for  these  beds.    The  formation  is  thickest  at  the  south  border 


272  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

of  the  basin,  and  the  thickness  decreases  quite  rapidly  towards  the 
north.  The  rocks  of  the  formation  consist  for  the  most  part  of  sand- 
stones. Beds  of  more  or  less  impure  shale  occur  at  a  number  of  horizons ; 
while  occasional  bands  of  limestone  and  thin  seams  of  coal  are  also 
recorded.  The  thickest  and  most  persistent  coal  seam  in  this  formation 
occurs  40  to  70  feet  below  Coal  No.  2,  and  has  a  thickness  of  6  to  18 
inches.  The  general  character  of  the  materials  of  this  formation  is 
shown  in  columnar  section  No.  5,  Plate  26.  The  middle  and  lower  parts 
of  columnar  section  No.  4  also  represent  strata  of  this  formation. 

LaSalle  formation. — The  limits  of  the  strata  included  in  this  form- 
ation have  been  indicated  in  the  foregoing  table.  Coal  No.  2  forms 
the  base,  while  the  fire-clay  below  Coal  No.  5  constitutes  the  uppermost 
member.  The  average  thickness  of  the  strata  embraced  between  these 
limits  is  about  224  feet.  The  sequence  of  the  beds  composing  this  forma- 
tion may  be  seen  in  the  columnar  sections,  Nos.  4  and  5,  Plate  26. 

The  No.  2  coal  seam  consists  of  two  benches,  respectively,  about  22 
and  24  inches  in  thickness,  separated  by  about  141/2  feet  of  shale.  Since 
this  is  the  important  coal  at  Murphysboro,  where  the  parting  is  thin,  it 
may  have  the  same  character  in  parts  of  the  area  here  described.  About 
55  feet  above  Coal  No.  2  there  occurs  a  rather  persistent  coal  band  6  to 
28  inches  thick.  This  coal  is  thinner  northward  and  thickens  towards 
the  south.  It  is  exposed  at  the  surface  in  the  east  bank  of  Crab  Orchard 
Creek,  near  the  northwest  corner  of  sec.  35,  T.  8  S.,  E.  1  W.  At  a 
place  where  the  coal  has  been  mined  locally  by  drifting  into  the  hill,  the 
following  succession  of  layers  was  seen: 

Section  along  Crad  Orchard  Creek. 

FEET. 

5.  Yellowish-brown  sandstone  with  numerous  small  brown  spots..     4i^ 

4.  Layer  of  argillaceous  limestone   1% 

3.  Black,  fissile  shale   2% 

2.  Coal     2 

1.  Gray  fire  clay   l^/^ 

Eight  rods  north  of  this  exposure  the  sandstone  member  at  the  top 
appears  to  be  12  feet  thick.  One-fourth  mile  up  the  creek  from  this 
point  there  may  be  seen  a  thickness  of  10  feet  of  the  sandstone,  overlain 
by  6  feet  of  gray,  sandy  shale. 

Three-fourths  of  a  mile  further  south,  at  the  east  end  of  the  wagon 
bridge  over  Crab  Orchard  Creek,  near  the  middle  of  the  N.  %  sec.  2, 
T.  9  S.,  E.  1  W.,  the  following  section  was  measured  : 

Section  at  bridge  over  Crah  Orchard  Creek. 

FEET. 

8.     Argillaceous  limestone    1 

7.     Black,  fissile  shale   3 

6.  Coal    21/3 

5.  Fire   clay 2% 

4.  Gray   shale 5% 

3.  Gray,  sandy  shale 7 

2.  Yellowish-gray    sandstone    8 

1.     Fine  grained,  shaly  sandstone  10 


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SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY  OF    THE    HEREIN  QUADRANGLE.  278 

A  view  of  the  strata  comprising  the  three  lower  members  of  the 
foregoing  section  is  shown  in  Plate  27.  A.  The  members  5  to  .s. 
inclusive,  in  this  section  are  considered  the  equivalent  respectively  of 
the  members  1  to  4  of  the  section  preceding.  Corresponding  beds  out- 
crop about  one  mile  southeast  of  the  last  exposure,  near  the  middle  of  die 
S.  %  sec.  1  of  the  same  township.  At  the  latter  place  this  coal  has  been 
stripped  for  local  use,  on  land  belonging  to  Mt.  Ben  Lewis,  where  the 
following  layers  were  seen: 

Section  on  the  Lewis  land. 

FEET. 

4.  Sandstone    16 

3.  Impure  limestone    1 

2.  Black  shale 4 

1.     Coal    2 

A  thickness  of  14  feet  of  sandstone,  corresponding  with  No.  4  above, 
outcrops  in  a  ravine  about  one-half  mile  north  of  the  last  locality,  where 
it  is  succeeded  by  about  5  feet  of  shale. 

The  succession  represented  in  the  foregoing  sections  is  thought  to 
correspond  with  the  beds  associated  with  the  coal  occurring  about  55 
feet  above  Coal  No.  2  and  150  feet  below  Coal  No.  5.  The  strata  inter- 
vening between  these  coals  are  in  some  records  reported  as  consisting 
largely  of  shale,  in  others  mostly  of  sandstone,  and  in  still  others  of 
shale  and  sandstone  in  about  equal  proportions. 

About  135  feet  above  Coal  No.  2  (80  feet  above  the  coal  seam  last 
described)  there  occurs  another  fairly  persistent  seam,  2  feet  in  thick- 
ness. The  strata  occurring  between  this  coal  and  the  outcropping  seam 
next  lower  consist  largely  of  shale,  although  some  of  the  records  report 
as  much  as  38  feet  of  sandstone  and  sandy  shale.  Between  the  horizon 
of  this  2-foot  coal  seam  and  the  base  of  Coal  No.  5  is  an  interval  of 
about  70  feet.  In  this  interval,  shales  greatly  predominate.  In  a  few 
of  the  logs  8  to  10  feet  of  sandstone  and  one  or  two  bands  of  limestone 
are  recorded. 

Petersburg  formation. — The  average  thickness  of  this  formation,  which 
includes  the  strata  intervening  between  the  base  of  Coal  No.  5  and  the 
top  of  Coal  No.  6,  as  shown  in  the  records  of  40  borings,  is  about  50 
feet.  The  character  of  the  materials  occurring  in  this  interval  is  shown 
in  columnar  sections  Nos.  1,  2,  and  5,  Plate  26.  Coal  No.  5  is 
found  in  the  quadrangle  wherever  borings  have  penetrated  to  the  proper 
horizon.  It  is  remarkably  uniform  in  thickness,  averaging  4%  feet 
in  40  records.  The  thickness  rarely  varies  more  than  6  inches  from 
the  average  figures.  Overlying  Coal  No.  5,  is  a  bed  of  black,  fissile 
shale  containing  numerous  concretions,  or  "niggerheads,"  in  the  lower 
part.  The  strata  in  this  portion  of  the  formation  are  well  exposed  in 
the  south  bank  of  a  creek  near  the  middle  of  the  E.  i/4  sec.  1,  T.  9  S., 
K.  1  E.,  where  the  following  section  was  seen : 

Section  of  part  of  Petersburg  formation. 

FE3ET. 

5.  Gray  shale,  yellowish  where  weathered   4 

4.  Very  fossiliferous,   soft,   gray,   calcareous   shale    11/6 

3.  Layer  of  hard,  bluish-gray,  argillaceous  limestone  ..,.,...,..,,     1 

—18  G 


274  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

2.     Black,  fissile  shale  with  fossils,  containing  numerous  concretions 

8  to  30  inches  in  diameter 6% 

1.     Coal  No.  5   4 

These  strata  are  shown  in  Plate  27,  B. 

The  thin  limestone  band.  No.  3  of  the  foregoing  section,  is  usually 
present  at  a  distance  of  from  4  to  8  feet  above  Coal  No.  5.  Another 
limestone,  3  to  14  feet  in  thickness,  generally  occurs  from  1  to  9  feet 
below  the  base  of  Coal  No.  6.  None  of  the  other  Pennsylvanian  forma- 
tions in  this  area  contains  such  a  large  proportion  of  limestone.  Besides 
these  limestones,  and  the  fire  clay  below  the  No.  6  coal,  the  materials 
of  this  formation  consist  almost  wholly  of  shale.  This  is  more  or  less 
sandy  in  the  middle  portion,  and  dark,  with  bituminous  matter,  at 
the  base. 

In  130  records  the  thickness  of  the  No.  6  coal,  and  the  intercalated 
blue-band,  averages  about  9  feet  and  5  inches. 

McLeansboro  formation. — All  of  the  strata  lying  above  Coal  No.  6 
in  this  region  are  assigned  to  the  McLeansboro  formation.  They  are 
more  variable  than  the  beds  comprising  the  preceding  formations.  The 
approximate  line  of  outcrop  of  this  coal  in  the  quadrangle  is  indicated 
on  the  structure  map  by  a  broken  line  (PI.  28.)  The  greatest  depth 
of  the  coal  beneath  the  surface,  and  so  the  greatest  thickness  of 
the  formation  within  the  area,  is  near  the  north  line  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  quadrangle,  where  some  of  the  borings  go  down  560  feet 
before  reaching  the  No.  6  seam.  The  variations  in  the  thickness  and 
the  character  of  the  strata  of  this  formation  in  different  parts  of  the 
area  appear  in  columnar  sections  1,  2,  3,  and  5,  Plate  26. 

The  No.  6  coal  is  succeeded  by  a  bed  of  gray  shale  or  shaly  sandstone 
15  to  110  feet  thick.  The  average  thickness,  in  120  test  holes,  is  64 
feet.  Above  this  horizon  is  a  limestone  band  3  to  12  feet  in  thickness. 
About  40  feet  above  this  limestone,  and  104  feet  above  Coal  No.  6,  there 
is  generally  present  a  2-foot  seam  of  coal  which,  for  a  thin  bed,  is 
remarkably  persistent  over  the  area.  Still  another  coal  band,  6  to  12 
inches  thick,  occurs  about  150  feet  above  Coal  No.  6.  In  the  northeast 
portion  of  the  quadrangle  a  still  higher  coal  seam  is  often  present  about 
300  feet  above  the  No.  6  coal.  The  materials  intervening  between  these 
several  coal  horizons  consist  very  largely  of  shale. 

Structure. 
In  this  paper  the  term  structure  refers  to  the  attitude  of  the  rocks, 
whether  horizontal,  faulted,  folded,  or  inclined ;  and  to  the  direction  and 
the  throw  of  the  faults,  and  the  direction  and  the  degree  of  inclination 
of  the  beds.  A  knowledge  of  the  structure  of  the  coal  beds  and  asso- 
ciated strata  in  any  locality  is  essential  to  an  intelligent  estimate  of  the 
cost  of  mining,  and  the  wise  selection  of  the  location  for  mine  shafts. 
The  dip  and  attitude  of  the  coal  seams,  as  well  as  the  character  of  the 
associated  strata,  very  materially  affect  the  expense  of  drainage  and  the 
cost  of  haulage. 

G  J-:  X  I':K A  L    D  ES C IM  FT  U)  X . 

The  structure  of  the  strata  in  the  Herrin  quadrangle  has  been  de- 
termined from  the  study  of  about  200  records  of  test  borings,  coal  shafts, 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  27 


A.    Exposure  along  Orchard  Creek  of  shale  and  sandstone  of  the  LaSalle  formation. 


B.    Exposure  of  base  of  Petersburg  formation,  showing  "nigger-heads  " 


savageJ 


GEOLOGY    OF    THE    HEREIN   QUADRANGLE. 


275 


and  water  wells,  using  for  a  base  the  elevation  of  the  No.  6  coal  seam. 
The  position  of  this  seam  is  easily  recognized  in  the  records,  and  it  is 
found  in  nearly  every  test  boring  made  within  the  area  north  of  its  line 
of  outcrop.  The  altitude  above  sea  level  of  the  No.  6  coal  seam  in  the 
various  borings  and  shafts  was  determined  as  follows :  The  elevation  of 
the  top  of  the  several  test  holes  and  coal  shafts  was  generally  found  by 
hand  levelling  from  the  nearest  bench  mark.  When  no  bench  mark  was 
found  near  the  boring,  the  surface  elevation  was  determined  by  aneroid 
reading  which  was  checked  with  the  nearest  bench  mark.  From  the 
burface  elevation  of  each  hole  was  substracted  the  depth  to  the  No.  6 
coal  at  the  respective  points,  as  given  in  the  logs.  The  major  portion 
of  the  surface  data  on  which  the  map  is  based  is  shown  in  tabular  form 
below : 

Tahle  of  surface  data. 


Location. 

Elevation. 

Township 
south 

Range. 

Section. 

Map  No. 

Feet  above  sea 
level. 

Determined 
by.  3 

6 

2E. 

19 

29 

30 

30 

30 

32 

5 

6 

7 

8 
20 
29 
31 
32 
32 
5 
5 
7 
17 
18 
19 
19 
20 
20 
20 
29 
29 
29 
30 
30 
31 
31 
32 
32 
32 
5 
6 
16 
16 
20 
22 
24 
24 
29 
36 
1 
4 

1 
1 
1 
2 
3 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

!» 

2 

1 

1 

11 

1 

2 

1 

2 

3 

1 

2> 

3 

1 

2 

2 

1 
2 
3 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 

409 
401 
.  416 
409 
382 
372 
385" 
386 
383 
389 
377 
382 
422 
384 
432 
429 
394« 
386 
395 
384 
392 
416 
405 
408 
395 
411 
419 
431 
429 
430 
433 
473 
468 
446 
493 
465 
472= 
456 
412 
449 
460 
487 
446 
414 
439 
408 
407 
428 

L3 

L 

L 

L 

L 

B^ 

7 

2E. 

L 

L 

E=» 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

8 

2E. 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

B 

E 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

9 

2E. 

L 

L 

6.  :;;;.■■. ^' 

IE. 

L 

L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

7 

IE. 

L 

L 

'Location reported;  -Log  not  used;  L^ Hand-level ;(B) Barometer;  (E)Estimatedfrom  topographic  map' 
Note:— The  surface  elevations  of  test  holes  on  land  of  the  Zeigler  Coal  Go.  were  furnished  by  the  Com" 
pany. 


276 


YEAK-BOOK   FOR    1909. 

Table  of  surface  data — Continued. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Location. 

Elevation. 

Township 
south. 

Range. 

Section, 

Map  No. 

Feet  above  sea 
level. 

Determined 
by. 

7 
9 
9 
12 
13 
13 
14 
14 
15 
17 
19 
22 
24 
25 
25 
26 
27 
27 
27 
28 
28 
29 
30 
32 
32 
33 
36 
1 
3 
6 
7 
7 
8 
8 
10 
10 
10 
12 
13 
13 
14 
16 
17 
18 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
22 
22 
23 
25 
25 
26 
27 
27 
28 
29 
30 
32 
32 
32 
33 
33 
34 
35 
35 
36 

1 
1 

22 
P 

1 

2 
1 
2 
1 

1= 
P 
1 
1 
.1 
2 
1 

2 

3» 

1 

2 

1 

1 

11 

2 

1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
2 

2 
11 
2 
3 
1 
V 
21 
1 

IS 

1* 

2 

1 

P 

12 

22 

3« 

11 

1 

2 

1 

P 

2 

1 

1* 

1 

1 

21 

3 

1 

2 

1 

2 

3 

P 

395 

423 

429- 

420 

424 

411 

391 

413 

395 

442 

396 

397 

402 

369 

366 

385 

376 

385 

388 

391 

412 

416 

404 

392 

398 

391 

387 

394 

383 

400 

409 

384 

422 

378 

377 

391 

395 

396 

393 

386 

398 

379 

368 

399 

394 

381 

386 

408 

396 

383 

382 

390 

413 

41.5 

390 

384 

409 

443 

383 

416 

384 

409 

415 

457 

451 

460 

420 

412 

415^ 

B 

L 

E 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

E 

-   L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

■ 

L 

B 

8 

1  E. 

L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

E' 

B 

L 

L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

B 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

L 

B 

SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HEREIN    QUADRANGLE. 

Tal)le  Of  surface  data — Continued. 


277 


Location. 


Elevation. 


Township 
south. 


Range. 


Section. 


Map  No. 


Feet  above  sea 
level. 


Determined 

by. 


:! IE. 


6 

IW 



7 

1  w. 

1  w. 


454 

451 

441 

429 

432 

445 

430 

446 

472 

467 

446 

465 

453 

458* 

463 

444 

408 

416 

411 

436 

440 

443« 

432 

443 

442 

441 

440 

422 

413 

423 

421 

420 

413 

419 

398 

403 

404 

390 

414 

401 

423 

422 

420 

416 

413 

406 

387 

394 

402 

379 

395 

377 

398 

413 

406 

389 

382 

366 

368 

392 

399 

407 

403 

398 

381 

398 

421 

407 


278 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 
TaUe  of  surface  cZa^a— Concluded. 


[bull.  no. 


thf  altitude  of  the  No   6  eo'l  at  diffeS'd^t  ■  ^l'  ^'""'''l  ^"^  ^^ 
panyins  map  (J'l    •'«)   l,v  t  ,0,,  „     J        f™*^'^  ^^own  on  the  aceom- 

the   boring. 'and   ;h;ft,    the  vT  1      T^T.  '"""'•      '''^^^  l"™ti°"«  '^f 

the  data  .r.ed"L\,tittoro?«,:'„;.;:'';.  "y'"t'  *%""^*  "^ 

legend  the  drill  holes   mineTnfK   ll         '      '  "''**  '''""'"•    ^'■'>™  the 

stitutes  the  400-foot  contour  linp     T„  +i,„  ^  ^**  '^^''l  "^O"" 

at  which  this  coal  was  found  to  lie  375  feetTov^eT''  ""  °^  ^'^^  P°'"*^ 
by  the  375.foot  contour  line,  and  so  on  1  dip  0  '"''^'Tp'  f'  '°"."'t.^ 
between  any  two  adjacent  contour  lines  ^  ^''*  ''  '°'^''^"*^'^ 

throw  of  8  to  ?1  m-  99  -Pn^f        ^1     -"'^"^"J^^^-     ^  lew  taults,  havins^  a 

rangle,  and  se.n   in  a.  few  surface  expo! '4         Ph  tr^.h  „  s  f  ? 
arch  exposed  m  the  north  bank  of  a  st'rean.  in  the  SW.  4;    c   6   T   9 

"B"  of  fh'  ''"f.^'^'"-'  '\'«  ='./k^tel'  showing-  a  thrust-fault  seen'inMi'no 

B     of  the  Chjcago-Carterville  Coal  Company.     The  detaOs  of  the^P 

loc^anrregularrfes  of  small  magnitude  do  n'ot  appear  o^Stol/anT 


'^<i:j^:''    %'■■:  1 


Uf?m 


SAVAGE] 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  HEREIN  QUADRANGLE. 


279 


The  probability  of  error  in  the  map  is  greater  where  the  test  holes,  of 
which  records  were  obtained,  are  a  considerable  distance  apart,  as  in  the 
vicinity  of  Little  Muddy  Eiver  and  in  the  northeast  portion  of  the 
quadrangle.  Over  such  areas,  where  the  data  are  not  sufficient  to  give 
reasonable  certainty  of  the  structure,  the  contour  lines  are  broken.  How- 
ever, it  is  practically  certain  that  the  errors  from  the  above  mentioned 
causes  do  not  exceed  a  few  feet  along  any  contour  line;  and  that  the 
general  attitude  of  the  No.  6  coal  seam,  and  thus  the  general  structure 
of  the  Pennsylvanian  strata  in  this  area,  is  essentially  as  shown  on  the 
map. 


Fig.  8.    Sketch  showing  thrust  fault  in  a  mine. 


From  this  map  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  south  part  of  the  quadrangle 
the  No.  6  coal  dips  strongly  towards  the  north^  while  near  the  west 
border,  betw^een  Duquoin  and  De  Soto,  there  is  a  rapid  descent  toward;^ 
the  east.  Notwithstanding  this  dominant  northward  and  eastward 
slope  of  the  strata,  local  changes  of  direction  and  degree  of  dip  are  not 
rare.  Near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  quadrangle  is  an  area  in  which 
the  eastward  dip  of  the  coal  exceeds  200  feet  to  the  mile.  Over  other 
areas  the  inclination  is  less  than  25  feet  per  mile.  The  average  dip  per 
mile  probably  does  not  exceed  40  feet.  The  most  conspicuous  irregular- 
ities of  structure  appear  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  map. 

On  this  map,  theie  will  be  seen  a  marked  change  in  the  structure  in- 
dicated by  the  borings  in  sees.  26  and  27,  T.  7  S.,  E.  1  W.  Within  a 
distance  of  one  mile  east  of  sec.  27,  the  No.  6  coal  seam  rises  150  feet. 
Still  further  east  from  this  point  the  general  slope  of  the  strata  is  east- 
ward. On  the  structure  map  the  abrupt  rise  of  the  strata  in  sec.  26  is 
represented  as  a  short  dome-like  arch. 

About  seven  miles  further  north,  in  sees.  23,  24,  and  25,'  T.  6  S.,  K.  1 
AV.,  there  is  indicated  a  dome  100  feet  in  height.  The  absence  of  borinos 
between  these  points,  over  a  belt  of  considerable  width  bordering  Little 
Muddy  Eiver,  leaves  it  uncertain  what  the  true  character  of  these  ir- 
regularities may  be.  It  is  possible  that  instead  of  the  separated  dome- 
like structures  in  these  localities  there  may  be  a  continuous  narrow  fold 
or  anticline,  the  axis  of  which  extends  parallel  with  the  strike  of  the 


280  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

steeply  dipping  strata  further  west.  This  alternative  interpretation  of 
the  structure  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  quadrangle  is  shown  in 
Plate  30.  This  latter  interpretation  is  the  more  probable  one  from  a 
geological  point  of  view,  since  such  an  arch  is  indicated  at  the  places 
where  data  across  this  zone  are  available. 

PRACTICAL  USE  OF  THE  STRUCTURE  MAP. 

The  practical  value  of  the  structure  map  will  appear  from  the  fact 
that,  when  used  in  connection  with  the  topographic  map  of  the  area,  the 
approximate  depth  of  the  No.  6  coal  below  the  surface  at  any  point  may 
be  readily  ascertained.  On  the  structure  map  there  is  shown  the  distri- 
bution of  the  No.  6  coal  in  the  quadrangle,  and  from  the  contour  lines 
the  elevation  above  sea  level  of  the  bottom  of  this  seam  at  any  point  can 
be  readily  found.  The  topographic  map  shows,  by  contour  lines,  the 
height  above  sea  level  of  the  surface  of  the  area.  From  this  map  the 
surface  elevation  of  any  point  in  the  quadrangle  can  be  approximately 
determined.  Subtracting  from  this  surface  elevation  the  altitude  of 
the  No.  6  coal  seam  at  that  point,  as  given  on  the  structure  map,  the 
remainder  will  represent  the  approximate  depth  of  the  No.  6  coal  seam 
below  the  surface  at  that  point. 

The  direction  of  dip  of  the  strata  is  assumed  to  be  at  right  angles  to 
the  contour  lines.  The  steepness  of  the  slope  is  indicated  by  the  distance 
between  adjacent  lines.  A  difference  in  elevation  of  25  feet  is  shown  by 
adjacent  lines,  so  that  the  closer  together  the  lines  appear,  the  steeper 
is  the  dip,  and  the  wider  the  distance  between  the  lines,  the  more  gentle 
is  the  slope  of  the  strata  in  that  region. 


COAL  EESOURCES. 

The  coal  production  of  the  area  comprised  within  the'Herrin  quad- 
rangle, for  the  year  endino-  July  1,  1908,  totalled  4,931,624  tons.^  This 
was  an  increase  of  1,822,392  tons  over  the  output  of  this  same  area  for 
the  year  1905,  or  a  gain  of  59  per  cent.  Since  1908  five  new  mines  have 
been  opened.  There  are  now  in  operation  in  the  quadrangle  thirty-two 
commercial  mines,  and  seven  others  that  are  not  connected  with  a  rail- 
road, but  are  worked  intermittently  to  supply  local  trade. 

From  the  columnar  sections  (PI.  26)  it  will  be  seen  that  coal  occurs 
at  a  number  of  horizons.  Only  two  of  these  seams,  No.  5  and  No.  6, 
are  of  sufficient  thickness  to  warrant  their  development  under  present 
commercial  conditions.  It  is  possible  that  in  the  future  Coal  No.  2  and 
some  of  the  other  seams  which  locally  are  of  workable  thickness,  may 
become  commercially  valuable. 

Extent  of  the  Number  5  and  Number  6  Coal  Seams. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  No.  6  coal  underlies  practically  the 
entire  surface  of  the  quadrangle,  with  the  exception  of  about  45  square 

1  From  the  27th  Annual  Coal  Report  of  the  Illinois  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  of  1908. 


281 


0  feet 
ber  of 
eet  of 
estone 
J  from 
9  S, 
d,  and 
isually 
etimes 
rooms, 
n  and 

L. ,  thin> 

^  .estone 

in  the 

for  a 


280 


YEAR-BOOK   FOE    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


steeply  dip 
the  structn 
Plate  30. 
geological  ; 
where  data 


The  prac 
that,  when 
approximat 
be  readily  a 
bution  of  t] 
the  elevatio; 
be  readily  v 
height  abov^^ 
surface  elev 
determined, 
the  No.  6  c 
remainder  V 
below  the  si 

The  direc 
the  contour 
between  adj 
adjacent  lin 
is  the  dip,  a 
is  the  slope 


The  coal 
rangie,  for  t 
was  an  incn 
the  year  190 
been  opened, 
commercial  : 
road,  but  ar- 

From  the 
at  a  numbei 
are  of  suffic: 
commercial  ( 
some  of  the 
become  comr 

EXTI 

There  is  i 
entire  surfac 

1  From  the  27th. 


SAVAGE]  GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HEREIN    QUADRANGLE.  281 

miles  in  the  southern  and  southwestern  portions.  The  outcrop  of  this 
coal  is  indicated  on  the  structure  map  by  a  dotted  line.  North  of  this 
line  test  borings  put  down  to  the  proper  depth  seldom  fail  to  encounter 
the  seam.  On  account  of  the  rather  steep  dip  of  the  strata  it  is  im- 
probable that  pre-giacial  erosion  has  cut  out  the  coal  over  any  consider- 
able area  north  of  the  immediate  border  of  its  outcrop.  The  line  of 
outcrop  is  quite  regular  except  near  the  junction  of  the  Big  Muddy  and 
the  Little  Muddy  Elvers  where  a  large  pre-glacial  valley  is  present,  and 
where  irregularities  in  the  structure  cause  a  change  in  the  attitude  of 
the  coal.' 

From  the  records  of  borings  that  penetrate  to  coal  No.  5  there  is 
little  doubt  that  this  coal  is  persistent  in  its  distribution  and  thickne<> 
at  an  average  distance  of  about  37  feet  below  the  bottom  of  Coal  No.  6. 
It  outcrops  along  a  line  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  the 
border  of  the  higher  coal. 

Coal  Number  6. 

Practically  all  of  the  coal  produced  in  this  area  is- taken  from  the  No 
6  seam.  It  is  uniformly  thick,  ranging  from  7%  to  15  feet.  The  aver- 
age thiclmess  recorded  in  130  borings  is  about  9  feet  and  5  inches,  in- 
cluding the  blue-band  or  dirt-band.  The  blue-band  is  almost  uni- 
versally present  at  a  height  of  18  to  30  inches  above  the  floor.  It 
generally  consists  of  bone  or  shaly  coal,  or  of  gray  shale.  Its  thickness 
is  usually  from  I/2  to  2I/2  inches.  In  25  measurements  of  the  coal  seam 
the  average  thickness  of  the  blue-band  was  1%  inches.  In  the  mines 
along  the  west  border  of  the  quadrangle  this  horizon  is  occupied  by  5 
to  15  inches  of  gray  shale  and  bone. 

A  smooth  parting  of  '^^mother  coaP^  is  usually  present  16  to  30  inches 
(averaging  22  inches)  below  the  top  of  the  seam.  Small  lenses  and 
thin  streaks  of  bone  and  pyrite  are  occasionally  found.  These  vary  from 
14  to  1  inch  in  thickness,  and  occur  most  frequently  between  the  blue- 
band  and  the  upper  coal  parting.  The  bony  and  shaly  coal,  and  the 
pyrite  fragments  are  picked  from  the  coal  by  hand,  where  the  best 
practice  prevails. 

Above  the  coal  there  is  a  bed  of  impure,  gray  shale,  15  to  110  feet 
thick,  which  in  the  lower  part  commonly  contains  a  great  number  of 
plant  impressions.  In  120  borings  studied,  an  average  of  64  feet  of 
shale  intervened  between  the  top  of  the  coal  and  the  overlying  limestone 
horizon.  Plate  31  is  a  view  of  the  outcropping  coal  and  roof  shale  from 
an  exposure  in  the  east  part  of  Carterville,  S.  W.  14,  sec.  2,  T.  9  S., 
E.  1  E.  This  shale  does  not  stand  well  when  the  coal  is  removed,  and 
so  the  16-to  30-inch  bench  of  coal,  above  the  charcoal  parting,  is  usually 
left  for  a  roof  until  the  rooms  are  mined  out,  after  which  it  is  sometimes 
taken  down.  Timbers  are  generally  set  3  to  5  feet  apart  in  the  rooms, 
and  cross  bars  are  often  placed  3  to  6  or  8  feet  apart  in  the  main  and 
cross  entries.  The  fire  clay  beneath  the  coal  is  hard  and,  as  a  rule,  thin^ 
ranging  from  4  to  50  inches.  It  is  generally  underlain  by  limestone 
and  seldom  causes  trouble  by  squeezing.  Eock  rolls  locally  occur  in  the 
top  of  the  seam,  the  larger  ones  extending  down  into  the  coal  for  a 
distance  of  2  or  3  feet. 


282  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

The  coal  is  briglit  black  in  color.  It  is,  as  a  rule,  banded  and  on 
close  inspection  appears  laminated  with  alternating  bright  and  dull 
lines.  Thin,  more  or  less  persistent  partings  and  lenses  of  "mother 
coal,"  %  to  2  inches  thick,  are  found  in  the  upper  part  of  the  seam. 
A  distinct  cleat  is  generally  present,  but  it  is  not  so  strong  as  to  prevent 
the  cutting  of  the  coal  in  any  direction  desired.  The  composition  and 
fuel  value  of  this  coal  may  be  seen  from  the  table- of  analyses,  (p.  283). 

Coal  Number  5. 

The  excellent  quality  of  the  coal  from  the  No.  5  seam  is  recognized 
in  this  region.  Locally,  it  has  a  reputation  of  being  superior  to  Coal 
No.  6.  Although  it  lies  about  45  feet  deeper,  and  averages  somewhat 
less  than  half  the  thickness  of  the  higher  seam,  yet  its  thickness  is 
sufficient  to  be  easily  workable  and  the  seam  is  sure  to  become  of  con- 
siderable commercial  importance.  The  thickness  of  Coal  No.  5  is  un- 
usually uniform  in  all  of  the  exposures  and  records  examined,  averaging 
about  4  feet  4  inches  at  -lO  different  point-.  Tliere  i^  no  blue-band  or 
dirt-band  in  this  seam,  and  the  coal  appears  to  be  more  free  from  pyrite 
lenses,  bone,  and.  other  impurities,  than  the  No.  6  seam.  The  mining 
conditions  are  good.  The  fire  clay  below  the  coal  is  hard,  and  does  not 
creep  readily.  Above  the  seam  is  a  bed  of  hard,  black  shale  that  usually 
stands  well  as  a  roof  with  little  or  no  timbering.  Concretions  or  "nig- 
ger-heads" are  commonly  present  in  considerable  numbers  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  roof  shale. 

Farther  east,  in  Saline  County,^  the  No.  5  coal  is  worked  in  preference 
to  the  upper  seam,  on  account  of  its  higher  fuel  value  and  the  better 
mining  conditions.  The  distribution  of  Coal  No.  5  is  practically  co- 
extensive with  that  of  No.  6  in  the  Herrin  quadrangle,  and  the  seam 
could  be  mined  in  connection  with  the  higher  coal  without  the  expense 
of  constructing  separate  shafts. 

Chemical  Analyses  of  the  Coals. 

Chemical  analysis  was  made  of  samples  of  coal  collected  by  members 
of  the  Survey  from  the  mines  indicated  below.  Each  sample  was  taken 
from  a  clean  face  of  the  seam  by  cutting  a  channel  of  uniform  width 
and  depth  from  top  to  bottom.  The  blue-band  and  pyrite  bands  or 
lenses  exceeding  i/^-inch  in  thickness  were  arbitrarily  excluded,  inas- 
much as  these  materials  are  assumed  to  be  picked  out  of  the  coal  by  the 
miners.  The  coal  fragments  were  caught  on  a  canvas,  crushed  to  pass 
through  a  sieve  of  i/2-inch  mesh,  then  quartered  down  and  placed  in  an 
air-tight  can  before  leaving  the  mine. 

Samples  were  collected  from  the  mines  designated  by  the  following 
numbers  in  the  table  showing  the  mines  of  the  area  given  on  a  later 
page:     1,  4,  5,  11,  12,  13,  14,  16,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25,  29,  31,  32,  38. 


'De  Wolf.  Coal  in  Saline  and  Williamson  counties:    Bull.  111.  State  Geol.  Survey,  No.  8, 1907. 


savage] 


GEOLOGY   OF    THE    HEREIN   QUADRANGLE. 


283 


The  following  tables  show  the  range  of  values  and  the  average  results 
for  all  the  samples  and,  in  addition,  average  values  from  the  mines 
grouped  by  counties,  excepting  those  in  Franklin  County. 

Analyses^  of  coals  from,  Herrin  quadrangle  and  vicinity.     (Face  samples.) 

All  samples.    Coal  No.  6. 


As  received. 

Oven  dry. 

"Unit  Coal." 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

High.      Low.   j  Average. 

Moisture 

11.03 
12.17 

2.81 
12,200 

6.69 

7.43 

61 

9.24 
9.13 
1   47 

Ash 

13.20 

7.66 

10.06 

Sulphur   

B.t.u 

11,079         11,838 

13,444 

12,453 

13,043 

14,906 

14,456 

14,690 

Perry  County.  (Average  of  3  mines.) 

9.94 

9.90 

.96 

11,485 

Ash 

11.04 

B.t.u 



12,750 

14,514 

Jackson  Count j\    (Average  of  3  mines). 

8.96 

9.45 

1.91 

11,851 

Ash 

1 

10.36 

Sulphur  



B.  t.  u 

13,0-1 

14, 738 

Williamson  County.    (Nine  mines.) 

Moisture 

9.99 

10.83 

2.81 

12,200 

6.69            8.87 

7.62            8.88 

.92             1.67 

11,753         11.975 

Ash 

11.89 

8.13 

9.75 

Sulphur   

B.t.u 

13,438 

12,873 

13, 141 

14,  753 

1 

'Analyses  by  W.  F.  Wheeler  and  J.  M.  Lindgren  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr. 


Mines  and  Mining  Methods. 

Some  of  the  mines  in  this  area  have  been  worked  for  many  years,  and 
the  smaller  ones  still  employ  primitive  mining  methods.  The  larger 
and  newer  mines  are  generally  provided  with  modern  equipments  and 
conveniences.  Pick  mining  is  not  usually  practiced,  but  the  coal  is  shot 
from  the  solid,  and  hauled  by  mules  on  wooden  cars  of  from  one  to 
three  tons  capacity.  Xo  effort  is  made  to  prevent  the  shattering  of  the 
coal  in  the  process  of  mining.  About  one-third  of  the  mines  are  fur- 
nished with  mining  machines  for  under-cutting  the  coal.  Compressed 
air  is  commonly  used  for  working  the  drills,  and  electricity  is,  in  places, 
supplied  for  lighting  the  mines.  Electric  motors,  or  tail  ropes,  are  used 
for  the  main  haulage  in  a  number  of  the  larger  mines.     The  deeper 


284  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

mines  are  usually  dry^  but  the  more  shallow  ones  are  sometimes  troubled 
with  water  which  seeps  in  from  above.  In  most  eases  neither  the  neces- 
sary pumping  nor  sprinkling  entails  very  great  expense. 

The  mine  shafts  are  generally  9  by  16  or  18  feet,  in  two  compart- 
ments. The  coal  is  hoisted  by  steam  engines  working  a  6-  to  8-foot 
drum.  Conical  drums  are  installed  in  a  few  mines.  The  cages  are 
single  decked  and  automatic,  dumping  the  coal  on  the  screens,  which 
convey  it  to  the  cars  on  2,  3,  or  4  tracks.  Box-car  loaders  are  employed 
at  a  number  of  the  mines.  The  coal  is  generally  screened  and  marketed 
in  a  number  of  sizes.  At  the  larger  mines  washers  are  established,  and 
50  to  70  per  cent  of  the  output  is  washed. 

A  modification  of  the  room-and-pillar  system  of  mining  is  in  general 
practice.  In  rare  cases  the  panel  system  is  employed.  In  the  greater 
number  of  the  mines  few  of  the  pillars  are  pulled,  and  in  some  places 
where  the  shale  drops  easily  the  roof  coal  is  not  taken  out.  The  amount 
of  coal  left  in  the  ground  varies  from  33%  to  50  per  cent  or  more.  This 
exceedingly  large  waste,  in  a  seam  averaging  9  feet  in  thickness,  amounts 
to  a  loss  of  from  5,300  to  7,800  tons  per  acre,  or  more  than  4,000,000 
tons  per  square  mile.  In  other  words,  under  the  present  method  of 
mining  the  No.  6  seam,  the  amount  of  coal  left  in  the  ground  on  every 
square  mile  is  nearly  equal  to  tlie  total  number  of  tons  produced  in  this 
area  in  1908.  This  very  large  amount  of  coal  is  permanently  lost,  for 
it  is  left  in  such  a  condition  that  it  cannot  be  recovered  later.  With 
the  price  of  coal  land  at  $150.00  per  acre,  the  cost  of  coal  per  ton  to 
the  company  is  so  trifling — about  1  cent  per  ton — that  the  operators 
find  it  more  economical  to  leave  the  pillars  and  less  accessible  coal  in 
the  ground,  and  take  out  only  that  which  can  be  mined  the  cheapest. 
The  superintendent  of  one  of  the  large  mines  of  this  area  is  authority 
for  the  statement  that  more  than  95  per  cent  of  the  coal  could  be 
recovered  if  the  mines  were  laid  out  and  developed  in  a  systematic 
manner  with  this  end  in  view.  Instead  of  that,  in  the  face  of  excessive 
competition,  the  general  practice  is  to  get  out  the  greatest  possible 
amount  of  coal  for  the  least  possible  expense,  regardless  of  the  waste 
in  the  process.  A  wise  policy  of  conservation  will  look  to  the  prevention 
of  this  enormous  and  unnecessary  waste,  even  at  a  slight  increase  in 
the  expense  of  production  and  of  cost  to  the  consumer. 


SAVAGEl 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE  HERRIN  QUADRANGLE. 


285 


There  is  given  below  a  list  of  the  coal  mines  operated  in  the  Herrin 
quadrangle  and  marginal  area  during  1909 : 


Table  showing  mines  of  the  region. 
(All  are  operated  on  Coal  No.  6,  by  shaft  openings.) 


Company. 


Mine. 


Location. 


Coal  No. 


A^ 


SfflPPiNG  Mines. 


Bell  &  ZoUer  Mining  Co 

Big  Muddy-Carterville  Mining  Co  . 
Big  Muddy-Carterville  Mining  Co  . 

Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Iron  Co 

Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Iron  Co 

Big  Muddy  River  Consolidated  Coal  Co 
Big  Muddy  River  Consolidated  Coal  Co 
Carterville  and  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co 
9  Carterville  Coal  Co 

10  Carterville  Mining  Co 

11  Carterville  Mining  Co 

12  Carterville  Mining  Co 

13  Chicago  and  Carbondale  Coal  Co . 

14  Chicago  and  Carterville  Coal  Co. . 

15  Chicago  and  Carterville  Coal  Co. . 

16  Chicago-Herrin  Coal  Co 

17  Donally  and  Koennecke  Coal  Co . 

18  Duquoin  &  Pitts.  Coal  Co.  (Brilliant 
&  Coke  Co.) 

19  Hafer  Washed  Coal  Co 

20  Madison  Coal  Corporation 

21  Madison  Coal  Corporation 

22  Majestic  Coal  &  Coke  Co 

23  Muddy  Valley  Mining  &  Mfg.  Co 

24  Paradise  Coal  and  Coke  Co 

25  Peacock  Coal  Co 

26  Pond  Creek  Coal  Co 

27  Fend,  W.  P.,  Coal  Co 

28  Pobert  Dic'c  Coal  Co 

29  ^t.  Louis  Carterville  Coal  Co.... 

30  Sunnyside  Coal  Co 

31 1  United  Coal  Mining  Co 

32, Western  Coal  and  Mining  Co  ... 
33.Zeigler  District  Colliery  Co 


1.... 
2.... 

7.... 


Hemlock 

1 

BurrC. 

1.. 

2 


NoN-SfflPPiNG  Mines. 


Beltz,  George 

Odum,  E.  D 

Phillips,  George 

Porritt,  T.  B.  and  Son.. 
Spiller  and  Whitecotton . 
Young,  A.J 


3 

1 

A 

B 

1 

1 

Horn. . 
1 


Dale. 


Slope 

Stripping . 

Drift 

Slope 

Drift 

Shaft 


S.E.. 
S.W.. 

N.W. 

S 

S.W.. 
S.W.. 

S 

N.E.. 

S 

S.E.. 
N.... 
S.W.. 
N.E.. 
N.W. 
N.... 
N.W. 
N.W. 

N.W. 

N.E.. 
N.W. 
S.E.. 
N.W. 
N.W. 
N.E.. 
N.E.. 
W  ... 
NW.. 
SE... 

S 

N.... 
N.W. 
N.W. 
S.W.. 


s.w. 

N.W 


N.W 


N.W 


N.W 


S 

E... 
N.W 
S.E. 
N.E. 
N.W 


13 

7 

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429 

120 

S 

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212 

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315 

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140 

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69 

107 

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8 

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79 

105 

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186 

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247 

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11 

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' 

50 

46 

M 

>M  (Measured  by  Survey  representative). 
S  (Information  from  superintendent  of  mine). 
^Mine  symbol  omitted  in  drafting. 
»Map  number  omitted  in  drafting. 
'Mapped  by  error  in  sec.  8. 
•'■'Coal  No.  5  at  this  mine  only. 


286  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


THE    GEOLOGY    AND    COAL   RESOURCES    OF    THE 
MURPHYSBORO  QUADRANGLE,  ILLINOIS. 

(By  E.  Wesley  Shaw,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.) 
Surveyed  in  cooperation  with  the  State  Geological  Survey. 


Contents. 


Introduction 287 

Geology 288 

Stratigraphy 288 

General  statement 1 .  288 

Pottsville 289 

Post-Pottsville 289 

Structure 290 

Coal 291 

General  statement 291 

Pottsville  coals 291 

Post-Pottsville  coals 292 

Coal  No.  2 292 

Coals  between  No.  2  and  No.  6 292 

Coal  No.  6 292 

Quality  of  the  coal 293 

Plate. 
32.    Map  showing  geologic  str  ucture  of  Murphysboro  quadrangle Pocket 

Figure. 

9.    Sections  of  Coal  No.  2  showing  characteristic  parting 292 


SHAW]  GEOLOGY  OF  THE   MURPHYSBORO   QUADRANGLE.  287 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  Murphysboro  quadrangle  comprises  an  area  of  235.66  square 
miles  in  Jackson  and  Perry  counties,  Illinois.  It  extends  from  a  mile 
south  of  Murphysboro  to  Pyatts  Station  and  from  Ava  nearly  to  Elk- 
ville.  Its  boundaries  are  parallels  and  meridians,  which  include  one- 
sixteenth  of  a  square  degree  of  the  earth^s  surface.  A  detailed  geologic 
survey  of  this  area  was  made  in  the  summer  of  1909  and  the  present 
report  is  a  brief  preliminary  statement  of  this  work. 

Lying  east  of  the  Murphysboro  and  extending  across  the  State  into 
Indiana  are  a  series  of  five  other  quadrangles  which  have  been  studied 
in  previous  years.  The  work  has  been  executed  in  cooperation  by  the 
Illinois  State  Geological  Survey  and  the  United  States  Geological  Sur- 
vey. Final  reports  in  the  form  of  bulletins  and  folios  of  the  Government 
Geologic  Atlas  of  the  United  States  are  being  prepared  and  will  probably 
be  published  within  a  year  or  two. 

The  economic  importance  of  the  Murphysboro  area  lies  principally 
in  the  high  quality  of  the  coal.  The  only  beds  now  being  worked  are 
two  divisions  of  a  coal  which  seems  to  be  equivalent  to  the  one  known 
as  No.  2  in  other  parts  of  the  State.  A  small  part  of  the  quadrangle 
is  underlain  by  No.  6  and  several  coals  of  lesser  value  are  present.  In 
the  field  work  the  coal  operators  and  many  others  freely  gave  valuable 
information.     All  such  help  is  gratefully  acknowledged. 


GEOGRAPHY. 

Topographically,  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle  is  separable  into  two 
principal  parts — a  belt  of  hills,  occupying  most  of  the  southwest  half 
of  the  area  and  a  low,  rolling,  plain  lying  northeast  of  the  hills.  About 
3  square  miles  of  the  Mississippi  bottoms  are  also  included  in  the 
extreme  southwest  corner.  The  bottom  land  varies  between  350  and 
380  feet  above  sea;  most  of  the  interior  flat  country  lies  between  380 
and  420;  and  the  highest  hills  found  near  the  river  bluffs  extend  up 
to  about  750  feet.  Thus,  one  peculiarity  of  the  topography  of  the  region 
is  that  there  is  a  general  slope  away  from  the  master  drainage  line. 

The  largest  stream  within  the  quadrangle  is  Big  Muddy  River,  which 
flows  west  across  the  southern  end.  A  large  part  of  the  area  drains  into 
this  stream  through  Beaucoup  Creek,  which  flows  through  the  central 
part  of  the  quadrangle  from  north  to  south.  The  broad,  shallow  valley 
of  this  stream  is  used  by  the  Illinois  Central  main  line  between  St.  Louis 


288  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  NO.  16 

and  New  Orleans.  The  same  road  has  two  branches  in  operation  within 
the  area.  The  Thebes  branch  runs  from  Carbondale  to  Thebes,  using 
as  far  as  Texas  Junction,  near  Murphysboro,  a  broad  terrace  on  the 
side  of  Big  Muddy  Eiver  valley  and  thence  passing  along  the  south 
side  of  the  comparatively  narrow  gorge  of  the  river  through  the  hills 
to  the  Mississippi  River  flood-plain.  The  Sand  Ridge-Matthews  Junc- 
tion branch  is  a  cut-off  and  finds  a  way  through  the  hills  by  way  of 
Kincaid  Creek.  The  Mobile  and  Ohio  runs  through  Murphysboro  and 
northwest,  close  along  the  foot  of  the  hills  to  Oraville,  where  it  turns 
west  and  climbs  through  the  narrow  precipitous  valley  of  Rattlesnake 
Creek  to  Ava  and  beyond.  The  Iron  Mountain  &  Southern  Railway 
takes  a  route  similar  to  that  of  the  Thebes  branch  of  the  Illinois  Central 
but  on  the  opposite  or  north  side  of  Big  Muddy  River.  There  are  also 
several  short  spurs  running  from  the  main  lines  out  to  coal  mines;  and 
other  spurs  to  reach  all  points  favorable  for  opening  mines  could  be 
built  without  difficulty. 


GEOLOGY. 

STRATIGRAPHY. 

General  statement. — The  rocks  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle  consist 
of  shale,  sandstone,  limestone,  and  coal,  belonging  to  formations  of  the 
Carboniferous  system,  and  mantled  almost  everywhere  by  a  complex 
cover  of  eolian,  glacial,  fluvial,  and  lacustrine  deposits.  The  surficial 
formations  are  unconsolidated  and  vary  in  thickness  from  a  fraction  of 
a  foot  to  over  100  feet.  However,  exposures  of  hard  rock  are  numerous, 
particularly  in  the  hills.  The  following  generalized  section  shows  the 
succession  and  general  character  of  the  out-cropping  consolidated  rocks. 

Generalized  section  of  rocks  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle. 


Carboniferous  system. 


Thickness- 
feet. 


Pennsylvanian  series — 

Post-Pottsville-'— Shales,  more  or  less  clayey,  gray  limestone,  sandstone,  generally 

loosely  cemented,  and  coal 290-340 

Potts ville — Hard,  gray,  more  or  less  conglomeratic  sandstone  with  interbedded 

shales,  clays,  and  thin  coals 420-510 

Misaissippian  series — 

Chester  group— Thin  beds  of  gray  fossiliferous  limestone  and  dark  shale j  40 


Chester  group. — The  Chester  group  appears  at  only  a  few  places  in 
the  area  and  contains  no  coal.  The  best  exposures  are  (1)  at  the  foot 
of  the  Mississippi  bluffs;  (2)  in  the  NE.  %  sec.  31,  T.  8  S.,  R.  3  W., 
and  (3)  on  a  branch  of  Kincaid  Creek  near  the  middle  of  sec.  24, 
T.  8  S.,  R.  3  W.  Between  the  deposition  of  this  limestone  and  that  of 
the  succeeding  sandstone  there  was  a  long  period  of  erosion  and  the 
upper  surface  of  the  Chester  is,  in  consequence,  very  uneven. 


For  relation  of  these  formations  to  those  used  in  preceding  papers,  see  page  179. 


SHAW  I  GEOLOGY    OF    THE    MURPHYSBORO   QUADRANGLE.  289 

Potts cille. — The  iclentiiication  oi'  the  Pottsvilie  sandstones  is  made 
possible  through  the  work  of  David  White  on  the  fossil  plants.  They 
are  the  oldest  and  loAvest  coal-bearing  rocks  and  they  outcrop  extensively 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  area.  Owing  to  their  resistance  and 
elevation  they  here  give  rise  to  very  rugged  hills.  In  the  north  and 
east  the  Pottsvilie  may  be  recognized  in  drill  holes  by  the  fact  that  it 
extends  from  near  the  top  of  the  first  heavy  sandstone  encountered  in 
such  holes  down  to  the  first  limestone.  The  formation  is  made  up  of 
six  or  seven  resistant  sandstones  separated  by  layers  of  shale.  The 
shale  generally  contains  some  thin-bedded  sandstone  and  one  or  morQ 
carbonaceous  beds  or  coal  seams.  All  the  strata  are  quite  irregular ;  beds 
of  sandstone  grade  laterally  into  shale  and  almost  no  bed  holds  its 
physical  character  over  any  considerable  area.  The  six  or  seven  main 
sandstones  are  only  fairly  persistent  and  of  very  irregular  thickness. 
The  lowest  sandstone  is  buft'  to  gray  and  contains  scattered  pebbles  of 
quartz  commonly  one-fourth  inch  in  diameter,  though  in  general  the 
mass  is  fine-grained.  Above  this  bed  lie  20  to  oO  feet  of  shale  containing 
traces  of  coal.  The  second  and  third  sandstones  are  more  resistant  than 
the  first  and  contain  no  pebbles  except  in  the  uppermost  part.  They 
are  separated  by  25  to  50  feet  of  soft  shale.  The  third  sandstone  is 
overlain  by  a  more  or  less  sandy  shale^  containing  beds  of  pure  sandstone 
and  ranging  up  to  GO  feet  in  thickness.  At  the  top  of  this  shale  is  a 
coal  bed  which  seems  to  be  persistent  and  varies  in  thickness  from  4  to 
28  inches.  The  fourth  and  fifth  sandstones  are  gray,  clean,  and  hard, 
but  contain  numerous  lenses  of  shale  and,  toward  the  top,  scattered 
pebbles.  They  are  separated  by  an  irregular  mass  of  soft  shale  varying 
in  thickness  from  a  few  inches  to  30  feet  or  more.  The  sixth  and  seventh 
sandstones  are  conglomeratic,  particularly  in  a  district  lying  northeast 
of  Ava.  The  pebbles  seem  to  be  concentrated  along  bedding  planes  and 
not  scattered  irregularly  through  the  mass.  The  shale  between  these 
uppermost  sandstones  is  of  irregular  thickness,  contains  one  or  more 
lenticular  coal  beds  and,  commonly,  masses  of  iron  oxide.  It  seems 
probable  that  at  least  a  part  of  this  member  is  Mercer^  in  age. 

Post-Poitsvillc. — The  rocks  above  the  top  of  the  Pottsvilie  are  much 
less  resistant  than  those  below  and  consequently  the  area  occupied  by 
their  outcrop  is  low  and  flat.  Only  a  single  member,  a  sandstone  in 
the  lower  part,  is  resistant  enough  to  express  itself  in  the  topography. 

Through  the  work  of  David  White  on  the  fossil  plants  it  is  known 
that  both  the  Allegheny  and  Conemaugh  of  Pennsylvania  and  other 
eastern  states  are  probably  represented  in  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle. 
But  the  exact  boundary  betw^een  these  formations  has  not  as  yet  been 
definitely  worked  out.  It  is  probable  that  it  belongs  near  No.  6  or 
N'o.  7  coal.  In  any  case  all  the  strata  lying  above  the  Pottsvilie  in 
the  Murphysboro  quadrangle  belong  to  the  Pennsylvanian  series  and 
will  here  be  treated  collectively  as  post-Pottsville. 


•Named  from  coals  in  Mercer  County,  Pennsylvania. 

—19  G 


290  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

In  the  area  under  discussion  several  important  coals  are  included 
within  the  strata  above  the  Pottsville.  These  are:  Two  divisions  of 
Coal  No.  2,  Coal  Nos.  5  and  6,  and  a  thin  "stray  vein'^  which  lies  between 
No.  2  and  No.  5.  Nos.  2  and  6  have  the  greatest  economic  importance 
but  the  others  are  valuable  as  stratigraphic  land  marks.  The  sandstone 
above  No.  2  is  next  to  the  coals  in  importance  for  mapping  and  cor- 
relation purposes.  It  is  a  massive,  reddish,  loosely-cemented  micaceous 
rock,  and,  while  it  is  not  so  resistant  as  parts  of  the  underlying  Potts- 
ville, it  yields  to  erosive  processes  less  readily  than  the  other  post- 
J^ottsville  strata  and  is'  accountable  for  the  development  of  low  hills, 
such  as  the  one  2  miles  north  of  Vergennes  and  that  2  miles  west  of 
Matthews.  The  high  hill  2  miles  west  of  Grubbs  also  is  capped  with 
this  rock. 

Lying  a  few  feet  above  No.  6  coal  and  separated  from  it  by  a  dark 
shale  is  a  hard,  gray,  heavy-bedded  limestone  ranging  up  to  18  feet  in 
thickness.  This  limestone  contains  a  fossil  which  so  far  has  not  been 
found  in  any  other  layer  of  the  coal-bearing  rocks  of  Illinois,  and, 
therefore,  serves  to  identify  the  limestone  and  incidentally  the  subjacent 
coal.  The  fossil  is  almost  microscopic  and  is  known  as  Fusulina 
cylindnca. 

STRUCTURE. 

The  structure  of  the  region  is  dominated  by  an  uplift  in  the  south- 
western part  which  gives  rise  to  a  general  northeast  dip  and  carries  the 
horizon  of  the  top  of  the  Pottsville  up  to  850  feet,  whereas  its  position 
in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  quadrangle  is  very  near  sea  level.  The 
area  of  greatest  uplift  is  flanked  on  the  east  by  steeply  dipping  strata 
and  terminated  on  the  north  by  a  fault  of  100  to  200  feet  throw.  The 
dips  vary  from  a  fraction  of  a  degree  to  as  much  as  10°,  or,  one  in  six, 
the  steepest  dips  being  found  along  the  eastern  and  northern  borders 
of  the  hilly  country.  The  average  slope  of  the  strata  is  perhaps  about 
75  feet  per  mile  or  somewhat  less  than  one  degree. 

On  the  map  (PL  32)  the  structure  is  shown  by  the  use  of  con- 
tour lines  drawn  on  the  floor^  under  No.  2  coal.  Each  contou.r  passes 
through  points  on  this  surface  which  have  the  same  altitude.  Thus,  the 
400-foot  contour  passes  through  points  at  which  the  lower  surface  of  the 
coal  is  400  feet  above  sea.  A  succession  of  these  contours  far  apart 
on  the  map  indicates  a  gentle  dip  of  the  strata,  while  crowded  contours 
indicate  a  steep  dip.  The  interval,  or  the  vertical  distance  indicated 
between  one  contour  and  the  next,  is  25  feet. 

The  accuracy  of  the  indicated  elevations  varies  from  place  to  place 
on  the  map.  Thus,  in  the  vicinity  of  Murphysboro,  drill  holes  are 
numerous  and  the  exact  position  of  the  coal  is  known.  Also,  along  its 
crop  the  coal  is  exposed  at  many  points,  and  at  all  such  points  careful 
measurements  of  its  elevation  and  dip  were  made.  But  in  the  south- 
western quarter  of  the  area  the  coal  has  been  eroded  away  from  the 
tops  of  the  hills  and  along  the  eastern  and  northern  border  are  con- 
siderable areas  in  which  no  exposures  of  recognizable  strata  occur  and 


SHAW]  GEOLOGY    OF    THE  MURPHYSBORO  QUADRANGLE.  291 

110  drill  records  are  available.  In  such  places  the  contours  iiia}^  be  as 
much  as  25  feet  or  more,  vertically,  from  their  proper  position.  How- 
ever, it  is  believed  that  generally  the  indicated  elevations  are  correct 
within  a  contour  interval  of  25  feet. 

Structure  contours  are  of  value  in  determining  at  any  point  the  posi- 
tion and  attitude  of  a  bed  of  coal  or  other  rock  whose  distance  and 
direction  from  the  reference  stratum  has  once  been  accurately  deter- 
mined. The  contours  not  only  indicate  the  elevation  of  No.  2  coal  but 
also,  for  example,  No.  6,  for  it  is  known  that  the  latter  coal  lies  about 
320  feet^  above  the  former,  and,  hence,  its  position  is  easily  calculated. 
Structure  contours  also  give  valuable  data  in  problems  of  drainage  and 
haulage  in  mines  of  coal  and  clay  and  all  other  work  which  follows  the 
lay  of  the  rocks.  Finally  it  has  been  shown  that  the  attitude  of  the 
rocks  commonly  controls  the  location  of  oil  and  gas  pools,  and  hence 
structural  geology  maps  may  be  used  with  profit  in  locating  oil  and 
o-as  wells. 


COAL. 

GENERAL   STATEMENT. 

In  the  year  ending  July  1,  1908,  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle  yielded 
377,887  tons  of  coal,  all  of  which  was  mined  from  No.  2  coal  in  Jackson 
County.^  A  list  of  mines  follows  on  a  later  page.  In  the  vicinity  of 
]\[urphysboro  No.  2  coal  is  separated  into  two  divisions,  the  interval 
between  them  varying  from  1  to  36  feet.  Where  this  interval  is  greatest 
the  lower  bench  has  sometimes  been  called  No.  1,  but  it  is  probable  that 
the  lower  coal  should  be  regarded  as  a  split  from  No.  2.  The  various 
beds  will  be  described  in  stratigraphic  order  beginning  at  the  base. 

POTTSVILLE    COALS. 

A  short  distance  above  the  middle  of  the  Pottsville  is  a  lenticular 
bed  of  coal,  locally  attaining  a  thickness  of  2  feet  or  so,  but  absent  from 
a  considerable  part  of  the  area.  One  of  the  best  exposures  of  this  bed 
is  in  the  bank  of  a  small  stream  in  the  SE.  %  see.  8,  T.  8  S.,  K.  3  W., 
where  20  inches  of  good,  short-grained,  coal  may  be  seen.  The  next 
coal  is  about  75  feet  higher  and  its  thickness  nowhere  exceeds  1  foot. 

The  only  Pottsville  coal  which  has  so  far  been  worked  lies  50  to  70 
feet  below  the  top  of  the  group  and  is  Mercer  in  age.  This  bed  has  been 
opened  near  the  middle  of  the  SW.  i/4  sec.  7,  T.  9  S.,  E.  2  W.,  where  the 
coal  is  of  excellent  quality  and  about  3  feet  thick.  The  bed  is  also  found 
in  the  NW.  %  sec.  18,  T.  8  S.,  E.  3  W.,  where  it  is  pockety  and  scarcely 
workable  at  present. 


VThese  coals  lie  only  about  250  to  265  feet  apart  on  the  Herrin  quadrangle,  which  joins  the  Murphysboro 
on  the  east.    Along  this  margin  of  the  map  the  interval  is  taken  as  250  feet.    (F.  W.  DeWolf). 
^Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics. 


292 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


POST-POTTSVILLE    COALS. 

Coal  No.  2. — The  lowest  coal  bed  above  the  Pottsville  is  the  one  known 
as  No.  2  and  the  coal  taken  from  it  is  of  a  quality  scarcely  surpassed 
in  this  State.  The  bed  is  of  somewhat  irregular  thickness  and  seems 
to  be  absent  from  a  considerable  ai-ea  in  the  northern  and  eastern  parts 
of  the  quadrangle.  It  is  also  absent  throughout  most  of  the  hills,  whence 
it  has  been  removed  by  erosion.  But  it  is  workable  almost  continuously 
along  the  foot  of  the  hills.  In  the  vicinity  of  Murphysboro  it  is  divided 
into  two  beds,  each  of  which  has  been  mined  extensively.  It  has  also 
been  mined  II/2  miles  northwest  of  Oraville,  at  Bryden,  at  Sato,  and  at 
points  li/>  miles  south  of  Ava,  and  2Vi>  miles  southwest  of  Matthews. 
At  these  places  the  bed  is  somewhat  variable,  but  there  is  generally  3  to  4 
feet  of  excellent  coal   (Fig.  9). 


<?<5" 


f3/,a/e 


%>fe 


\eo'o" 

^3  0^eepsM,f>^ 


I 


\y/\ 


f/re  C/ay 


Fig. 


Sections  of  coal  No.  2  showing  characteristic  parting. 


No.  1.  Drill  hole  in  S.  W.  \,  S3C.  32,  T.  8  S.,  R.  2  W. 

No.  2.  Gus  Blair  Mine  No.  1,  Murphysboro. 

No.  3.  J.  B.  Schimpf  mine,  N.  E.  \,  sec.  11,  T.  7  S.,  R.  3  W. 

Fo.  4.  Nesbit  &  Wilson  mine,  Sato,  S.  E.  \  of  N.  W.  i,  sec.  22,  T.  7  8...  R.  3  W. 

No.  5.  Cairo  Ice  &  Coal  Co.  mine,  Bryden. 

Coals  between  No.  2  and  No.  G. — Lying  between  Nos.  2  and  G  are 
several  coals  which  are  too  thin  and  irregular  to  be  of  economic  impor- 
tance at  present.  The  most  persistent  is  equivalent  to  No.  5,  but  the 
total  area  nnderlain  by  this  coal  is  small  and  lies  along  the  eastern 
and  northern  l)orders  of  the  quadrangle.  Two  lower  thin  coals  are 
locally  exposed.  In  sees.  14  and  23,  T.  7  S.,  E.  2  W.,  the  lower  of  these 
two  beds  is  reported  to  attain  a  thickness  of  3%  feet. 

Coal  No.  6. — No.  G,  or  the  Blue-Band  coal,  the  most  extensively 
mined  and  most  valuable  stratum  in  Illinois,  and  perhaps  also  in  Indiana, 
barely  reaches  the  eastern  and  northern  limits  of  the  area.  There  are 
large  mines  on  this  Ijed  along  the  eastern  boundary  at  De  Soto,  Halliday- 
boro,  Elkville,  and  Duquoin,  and  at  Willisville,  5  miles  south  of 
west  of  the  northwest  corner.  There  are  also  two  small  mines  just 
off  the  northern  border,  between  Duquoin  and  Pyatts,  but  this  coal  is 
nowhere  worked  within  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle.  From  almost  all 
of  this  area  and  from  a  large  territorv  to  the  west  and  south,  the  No.  6 
coal  and  all  the  cmils  lying  higher  in  the  geologic  column  have  been 
completely  removed  by  erosion. 


SHAWj 


GEOLOGY  OF  THE    MURPHYSBORO   QUADRANGLE. 


293 


QUALITY    OF    THE    COAL. 

Several  samples  of  A"o.  2  coal  for  analytical  tests  were  collected^  the 
method  of  sampling  being  that  used  by  both  State  and  U.  S.  Geological 
Surveys  in  taking  samples.  This  method  has  been  worked  out  with  a 
view  to  getting  an  average  analysis  of  the  coal  at  a  certain  point.  It 
lias  been,  in  use  several  years  and  from  time  to  time  slight  modifications 
liave  been  introduced.  Thus^  the  method  has  now  been  carefully  and 
extensively  tested  and  the  results  are  very  satisfactory.  In  short,  it  is 
as  follows :  At  a  fresh  face  a  groove  is  cut  across  the  full  thickness  of 
the  l)ed,  all  the  partings  more  than  three-eighths  of  an  inch  thick 
being  rejected.  The  material  thus  obtained  is  crushed  until  it  will  pass 
tlirougli  a  ]ialf-inch  mesh  and  quartered  until  a  quart  sample  is  obtained. 
This  is  sealed  air-tight  in  a  galvanized-iron  can  and  sent  to  the  chemical 
laboratory.  The  analyses  were  made  under  the  direction  of  Professor 
Parr,  Consulting  Chemist  of  the  State  Geological  Survey,  by  W.  F. 
Wheeler  and  J.  M.  Lindgren.  The  analyses  of  N'o.  2  coal  and  an  average 
of  several  analyses  of  ISTo.  G  coal  taken  from  mines  within  6  miles  of  the 
borders  of  the  Murphysboro  quadrangle  are  as  follows: 


Analyses^  of  coals  from  the  Murphysboro  area.     (Face  samples.) 

Coal  No.  2.    (4  mines.) 


As  received. 

Oven  dry. 

"  Unit  Coal. " 

High. 

Low. 

Average. 

High. 

Low.     Average. 

High.      Low. 

1               i 

Average. 

Moisture 

13.49 

6.43 

1.68 

12, 466 

9.10 

4.21 

.64 

12,210 

10.30 

5.42 

1.20 

12,395 

j 

Ash 

7.09 

4.37             5.9i 

Sulphur 

B.  t.u 

14,114 

i3, 703         i3, 823 

i4,975 

14,  7U 

14,853 

Coal  No.  6.    Averages  from  3  mines  near  the  quadrangle. 


8.96 

9.45 

1.91 

11,851 

Ash                          1 



i6.36 

B.t.u 



13,021 

14, 738 

i 

'Analyses  by  W.  F.  Wheeler  and  J.  M.  Lindgren  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  S.  W.  Parr. 

A  fair  grade  of  coke  has  been  made  from  No.  2  coal  across  the  river 
south  of  Murphysboro.  Many  years  ago  there  were  several  dozen  ovens 
in  operation  here,  but  at  present  no  coke  is  being  produced  here  or  else- 
where in  the  quadrangle. 

Xo.  2  coal  has  a  bright  luster — little  hygroscopic  water,  and  with- 
stands considerable  exposure  without  slacking.  Most  of  it  is  shipped 
for  domestic  use  to  towns  in  a  region  lying  south  and  southeast  of 
Cairo,  and  in  the  distant  part  of  this  territory  it  competes  with  Alabama 
coal,  which  sells  for  a  higher  y)rice.  Much  of  the  coal  is  sold  in  Chicago 
in  competition  with  Youghiogheny. 


294 


YEAK-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


Shipping  mines. 
Table  showing  mines  of  the  region. 


Company. 


Mine 

or 
town. 


Location. 


Coal  No.  2. 


Remarks. 


SfflPPiNG  Mines. 

Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Iron  Co 

Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Iron  Co 

Big  Muddy  Coal  &  Iron  Co 

Cairo  Ice  &  Coal  Co.,  V.  L.  Chui'ch 
(operator) ' 

Gartside  Coal  Co 

Gartside  Coal  Co 

Gus  Blair  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co 

Gus  Blair  Big  Muddy  Coal  Co 

Schmidtgall  Coal  Co 


NoN-SfflPPiNG  Mines. 

Campbell,  W.  R 

Johnson,  W.  F 

Nisbet  &  WUson 

Nisbet  &  Le  Pere 

Phillips,  Alfred 

Schafifer,  Michael 

Schimpf,J.  B 

Sherman,  John 


Harrison . 
6 
9 

Simpson . 


Vergennes  . . . 
Vergennes  . . . 

Ava 

Ava 

PinckneyvUle 

Ava 

Vergennes  . . . 
Oraville 


NJ. 
S.W. 

N.E. 


S.E.. 

S.W.. 
S.W.. 


N.W. 
S.E.. 


S.E., 
S.E. 
S.E. 


N.W 


N.W, 


N.W. 

S.E.. 

S.E . . 

S.E... 


S.E.. 
S.W., 
N.E.. 


S.E. 
S.W. 


S.W.. 
N.W. 


S.W.. 

n.e" 


Drift. 


Slope 

34 

Drift. 


Slope 
Slope 


60 


Abandoned 

Coal  in  2  beds; 
10  feet  shale 
between 

Coals  in  2  beds 
separated  by 
21  feet  shale 
and  bone 


Abandoned . 


50 


Abandoned . 
Abandoned . 


'Perry  County,  just  outside  Murphysboro  quadrangle,  but  part  of  workings  are  inside. 
No.  6  coal. 


This  is 


WILLIAMS]  MINE    RESCUE   WORK    IN    ILLINOIS.  295 


REVIEW  OF  MINE  RESCUE  WORK  IN  ILLINOIS. 

(By  R.  Y.  Williams,'  Minini;  Engineer,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey.) 


No  one  dislikes  more  than  do  the  members  of  this  Institute  the 
midnight  call  to  an  explosion- wrecked  or  fire-menaced  mine^  nor  does 
anyone  feel  more  keenly  than  we  the  suffering  caused  by  the  loss  of  life 
that  usually  accompanies  these  calamities.  It  is  natural  therefore  that 
the  mine  inspectors  in  their  annual  assemblage  should  be  especially  in- 
terested in  the  presentation  of  papers  whose  object  is  the  prevention  of 
these  disasters.  Nevertheless^  fires  and  explosions  continue  to  occur. 
Careless  and  excessive  use  of  explosives^,  ignorance  in  handling  marsh 
gas,  th€  employment  of  unskilled  labor,  and  the  lack  of  discipline  about 
the  mines  are  factors  that  not  only  figure  in  causing  these  calamities, 
but  that  are  hard  to  eliminate.  Until  these  are  completely  eradicated, 
just  so  long  will  we  be  subject  to  those  midnight  calls.  In  view  of  these 
facts,  and  because  our' meeting  this  year  is  in  Chicago,  it  s^ems  an  ap- 
propriate occasion  for  a  review  of  Eescue  Work  in  Illinois. 

Breathing  appliances  were  invented  abroad  and  their  use  established 
long  before  we  in  this  country  recognized  the  need  of  them.  In  the 
early  history  of  the  industry  our  mines  were  small  and  easily  accessible, 
having  little  cover;  only  a  score  of  miners  were  employed  at  each  plant 
and  the  amount  of  powder  used  to  win  the  coal  was  insignificant.  Later 
developments,  including  the  introduction  of  machinery,  the  installation 
of  equipment  designed  to  handle  the  output  of  hundreds  of  miners,  the 
exposure  of  large  surfaces  of  fresh  coal  every  shift,  the  increase  in  the 
depth  of  the  mines,  the  development  of  seams  containing  large  quantities 
of  marsh  gas,  and  the  gradual  resort  to  the  excessive  use  of  explosives 
to  obtain  the  desired  output,  all  combined  to  multiply  to  an  alarming 
degree  the  frequency  of  fires  and  explosions. 

Our  engineers  in  their  studies  abroad  were  quick  to  see  the  advant- 
ages that  could  under  certain'  conditions  be  obtained  by  the  use  of 
breathing  appliances.  These  conditions  are  caused  by  the  affinity  of 
carbon  for  oxygen.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  there  are  four  rates 
at  which  the  oxidation  of  carbon  may  take  place  depending  upon  con- 
ditions, and  that  all  four  rates  are  exemplified  in  coal.  Several  million 
years  ago,  as  the  geologists  would  have  us  believe,  coal  was  formed  by 


^  Read  by  Mr.  Williams  at  the  Mine  Inspectors'  Institute  of  the  United  States,  June,  1910,  and  present  ed 
here  as  a  report  of  progress  of  the  Urbana  Station. 


29f)  YEAE-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


the  Tailing  of  a  luxuriant  vegetation  into  swamps  similar  in  nature  to 
the  present  dismal  swamp  of  Virginia.  The  carbon  of  the  foliage  Wcis 
thus  preserved  by  the  cover  of  water  and  given  over  to  the  little  under- 
stood action  of  bacteria,  and  we  have  here  an  example  of  the  first  rate, 
or  retarded  oxidation.  When  a  leaf  falls  to  the  ground,  it  is  immediately 
acted  upon  by  the  weather,  the  carbon  of  the  leaf  becomes  oxidized  and 
withers,  and  we  have  here  an  example  of  sloio  oxidation.  If  you  throw 
leaves  on  a  bon-fire  or  place  coal  in  a  furnace  and  apply  kindling  and  n 
torch,  the  carbon  unites  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air  and  burn;  this  is  a 
case  of  rapid  oxidation.  In  a  coal  mine  or  flour  mill,  when  the  carbon 
of  the  coal  or  flour  unites  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air  and  an  explosion 
takes  place  because  of  right  conditions  of  pressure  and  temperature,  we 
have  an  example  of  instant  oxidation. 

With  these  facts  in  mind,  it  is  apparent  that  not  only  the  carbon  of 
the  coal  but  also  the  oxygen  of  the  air  is  required  to  maintain  a  fire  or 
to  cause  an  explosion  in  a  coal  mine.  If  therefore  there  is  a  fire  in  a 
mine,  or  if  there  has  just  been  an  explosion,  and  the  fan  is  allowed  to 
pump  into  that  mine  fresh  supplies  of  air  carrying  its  content  of  exygen, 
further  disaster  is  invited;  for  this  procedure  feeds  fresh  air  to  the  fire 
and  it  mixes  any  explosive  gases  with  the  necessary  amount  of  oxygen 
and  passes  them  over  the  flames  to  cause  additional  explosions.  Thus, 
our  engineers  realized  that  to  overcome  these  dangers  and  allow  men  to 
rescue  entombed  miners,  fight  fires,  and  control  air  currents,  it  was 
necessary  to  equip  the  rescuers  with  breathing  devices  that  would  permit 
them  to  enter  the  most  noxious  atmosphere  and  perform  their  work  of 
rescue  as  safely  as  possible  in  the  absence  of  fresh  air. 

Accordingly,  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  installed  several 
types  of  breathing  appliances  as  a  part  of  the  equipment  at  the  Central 
Testing  Station  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Their  value,  as  shown  on  the 
occasion  of  several  fires  and  explosions,  lead  the  Survey  to  plan  the 
establishment  of  a  number  of  branch  stations  throughout  the  United 
States,  the  purpose  being  to  supply  the  equipment  and  trained  assistants 
required  for  the  study  by  the  Survey  experts  of  mine  explosions,  and  to 
offer  a  means  of  demonstrating  modern  mine-rescue  practice  to  the 
mining  fraternity  of  the  sevei-al  coal  fields.  The  first  of  these  sub- 
stations to  be  established  was  the  one  at  Urbana,  Illinois,  which  was 
opened  early  in  March,  1909.  It  is  operated  in  cooperation  with  the 
State  Geological  Survey  and  the  University  of  Illinois. 

During  the  past  sixteen  months,  several  emergency  calls  for  assist- 
ance in  Illinois  have  been  made  on  this  Urbana  Rescue  Station.  At  the 
time  of  the  explosion  of  the  Bering  No.  18  mine,  West  Frankfort,  Illi- 
nois, in  February,  1909,  the  helmets  were  used  to  assist  in  sealing  the 
air-conduit  leading  between  the  airshaft  and  the  fan;  and  at  the  same 
mine  on  June  7,  1909,  an  inspection  of  the  500-foot  airshaft  from  top 
to  bottom  was  made  by  men  wearing  the  oxygen  helmets.  Last  summer 
at  the  Hart-Williams  mine,  Benton,  Illinois,  a  fire  originating  from  a 
blast  of  black  powder  was  sealed  up  temporarily.  Five  days  later  tho 
oxygen  helmets  were  used  to  inspect  the  seat  of  the  fire,  to  erect  brat- 


WILLIAMS  1  MINE    RESCUE   WORK    IN    ILLINOIS.  297 

tices,  and  to  remove  the  large  amount  of  explosive  gas  that  had  collected. 
The  fall  caused  by  the  fire  was  then  loaded  out.  At  Moweaqua^  Illinois^ 
last  September,  a  fire  that  originated  in  the  timbers  at  the  bottom  of 
main  shaft  was  successfully  handled  with  the  aid  of  the  Urbana  ap- 
paratus. This  was  a  very  serious  fire  when  discovered,  and  the  helmets 
showed  clearly  that  the  only  alternative  would  have  been  to  have  sealed 
the  shafts  indefinitely.  In  November,  at  Cherry,  Illinois,  both  shafts 
were  sealed  and  rescue  work  was  at  a  standstill  when  the  Urbana  outfit 
arrived  on  the  scene.  The  events  that  followed  made  it  evident  that 
with  the  aid  of  the  oxygen  helmets  the  Cherry  mine  was  opened  up  a 
number  of  days  earlier  than  it  would  have  been  otherwise  possible,  and 
also  that  when  the  live  men  w^ere  discovered  twelve  were  immediately 
rescued  with  the  helmets,  whereas  Avithout  the  helmets,  there  would 
have  been  necessary  delays  and  the  possible  loss  of  the  men.  During 
Deceml^er  at  the  Majestic  mine  near  Duquoin,  Illinois,  a  fire  that  had 
raged  ten  weeks  previous  was  extinguished  with  the  aid  of  the  new 
mine-rescue  tactics.  Owing  to  circumstances  at  the  time  of  the  fire, 
fully  forty  acres  had  ])een  sealed  off  and  had  filled  with  marsh  gas 
during  the  intervening  period.  The  helmets  were  used  for  inspection 
of  the  immediate  fire  region  and  to  assist  in  the  removal  of  this 
enormous  quantity  of  gas,  after  which  the  heavy  fall  that  had  been 
caused  by  the  fire  was  loaded  out.  During  this  work,  the  coal  again 
began  to  glow,  but  the  fire  was  controlled  with  the  aid  of  fire-extinguish- 
ers. At  the  present  time,  the  Urbana  equipment  is  at  Zeigler,  Illinois, 
assisting  in  the  recovery  of  the  well-known  Zeigler  mine. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  calls  for  the  apparatus  outside  the 
State  of  Illinois;  i.  e.  on  the  occasion  of  the  Sunnyside  mine  explosion, 
April,  1909,  at  Evansville,  Indiana;  at  the  Gregory  mine  fire,  near 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  a  year  ago  last  month ;  at  the  Artemus  mine  fire, 
Artemus,  Kentucky,  last  December;  and  last  January,  at  the  Baker 
Xo.  5  mine,  Wheatcroft,  Kentucky.  Tlie  equipment  was  taken  also  to 
Ames,  Iowa,  for  demonstration  at  the  Iowa  Fuel  Conference  in  May, 
1909,  and  to  Lexington,  Kentucky,  for  the  benefit  of  the  miners  attend- 
ing the  summer  school  last  August  at  the  State  College. 

In  all  of  this  work,  the  Urbana  Station  has  been  fortunate  in  having 
the  cooperation  of  the  State  Inspectors.  All  of  the  Illinois,  Indiana, 
and  Kentucky  Inspectors  have  familiarized  themselves  with  the  rescue 
apparatus,  and  men  like  Thonias  Moses,  Hector  McAllister  and  James 
Taylor  have  shown  tlieir  appreciation  of  the  value  of  oxygen  helmets  by 
wearing  them  in  places  of  personal  danger,  as  at  the  Moweaqua  and 
Cherry  mine  fires.  Without  this  assistance  from  the  State  Inspectors, 
the  successes  of  the  past  year  would  not  have  been  possible. 

One  result  of  the  work  of  the  oxygen  helmets  has  been  that  the  last 
Legislature  of  Illinois  enacted :  ''that  for  the  purpose  of  providing 
prompt  and  efficient  means  of  fighting  fires  ancl  of  saving  lives  and 
property  jeopardized  by  fires,  explosions,  or  other  accidents  in  coal 
mines  in  Illinois,  there  shall  be  constructed,  equipped,  and  maintained 
at  public  expense  three  rescue  stations,  so  located  as  best  to  serve  the 


298  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

iiortliorii,  the  central,  and  the  southern  coal  fields  of  the  State."  For 
tJie  carrjdng  out  of  this  work  to  July  1,  1911,  an  appropriation  of  $75,- 
000  has  been  made  available.  The  Governor  has  also  appointed  a  Com- 
mission consisting  of  seven  members  to  carry  out  properly  the  provisions 
of  this  act,  and  to  "arrange  for  cooperation  in  the  work  with  mine 
owners,  miners,  and  State  and  Federal  organizations  so  as  to  render  the 
service  of  the  utmost  efficiency." 

Each  operator  of  the  State  should  be  asked  to  send  a  small  number, 
say  4  per  cent,  of  his  employes  to  the  nearest  of  the  three  central  rescue 
stations  at  least  twice  a  year  for  training  in  rescue  work.  These  men 
should  spend  at  least  three  days  at  the  station  on  each  visit.  In  return 
for  this  action  of  the  operator  in  bearing  such  expense  for  the  safety  of 
the  lives  of  his  miners,  the  men  so  trained  should  agree,  in  cases  of 
emergency,  to  assist  in  the  work  of  mine  rescue,  with  the  understanding 
that  they  are  to  receive  only  the  "inside  wage  scale"  for  'time  devoted. 

These  three  central  stations  can  be  made  of  great  value  to  both  miners 
and  operators.  But  one  further  step  is  necessary  to  complete  the  plan 
and  insure  its  entire  success,  because,  even  with  the  three  stations  thus 
located,  there  would  probably  be  an  appreciable  lapse  of  time  before  the 
apparatus  could  be  delivered  to  a  mine,  in  case  of  trouble.  To  overcome 
this  delay,  the  suggestion  is  made  that  all  operators  combine  in  what 
may  be  called  local  or  private  stations,  consisting  merely  of  five  helmets 
and  five  electric  safety  lamps,  charged  and  packed  in  cases,  ready  for 
transportation,  in  some  town  or  a  mine  where  there  is  always  someone 
present  who  can  deliver  the  helmets  as  needed.  Such  a  local  station 
might  be  in  a  fire  department  house  of  the  town,  and  it  would  serve  all 
mines  within  a  radius  of  fifteen  miles.  As  the  station  equipment  would 
consist  of  the  five  helmets  and  lamps,  without  any  of  the  costly  ap- 
paratus for  recharging  them,  the  expense  when  divided  among  all  mines 
within  fifteen-mile-radius  circle  would  be  very  small.  It  would  be  the 
duty  of  the  central  rescue  station  people  to  inspect  and  charge  these 
helmets  periodically  and  see  to  it  that  they  are  in  working  condition  for 
an  emergency.  This  might  be  accomplished  by  having  the  local  helmets 
brought  to  the  central  station  by  the  miners  wheji  they  visit  it  for  train- 
ing. The  object  of  the  local  stations  is  that  the  men  at  the  mine  may, 
in  case  of  fire  or  explosion,  have  means  at  hand  for  preliminary  work, 
or  immediate  rescue  that  may  be  necessary  during  the  period  while  the 
men  and  equipment  of  the  nearest  central  rescue  station  are  journeying 
to  the  mine.  Already  two  private  stations  have  been  established  m 
Illinois,  one  at  Zeigler  and  one  at  Spring  Valley. 

In  concluding  this  ])aper,  I  wish  to  draw  your  attention  to  the  fact 
that  the  development  of  modern  mine  rescue  tactics,  whether  that  de- 
velopment be  on  the  part  of  the  Federal  CTOvernment,  the  State  In- 
spection Departments,  or  the  coal  operators  themselves,  will  ofl'er  three 
general  advantages: 

I.  In  cases  of  emergency  there  would  be  available  for  the  rescue  of 
entombed  miners  and  the  recovery  of  endangered  property  squads  of 
men  trained  for  the  undertaking,  accustomed  to  working  together  and 
obedient  to  the  commands  of  their  leader. 


WILLIAMS]  MINE    RESCUE    WORK    IN    ILLINOIS.  299 

II.  liescue  Stations  may  become  centers  for  the  dissemination  of 
knowledge  among  the  men.  In  addition  to  the  usual  studies  and 
lectures,  local  institutes  could  hold  their  meetings  in  the  observation 
hall  of  the  station;  and  talks  and  demonstration  on  First  Aid  Work 
could  be  given  by  the  town  or  company  physician  with  a  view  to  form- 
ing First  Aid  Corps  similar  to  those  that  are  meeting  with  such  success 
in  the  Anthracite  Fields  of  Pennsylvania. 

III.  In  the  event  of  a  mine  calamity,  the  work  of  the  Mine  In- 
spector of  that  district  would  be  greatly  simplified.  On  his  arrival  he 
would  find  in  place  of  the  usual  frenzied  mob  and  the  babel  of  many 
voices  a  calm,  trained,  heroic  body  of  men^  ready  to  follow  out  his  in- 
structions as  an  army  in  battle  obeys  the  commands  of  the  general. 


300 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO.  16 


DIAMOND  DRILL  CORE  FROM  FRANKLIN  COUNTY. 

(Interpretation  by  Jon  Iidden.) 


ArraiigeiiK'nts  were  made  by  Mr.  DeWolf  in  the  fall  of  1909  for  tlie 
collection  and  study  of  a  core  from  diamond-drill  prospecting  underway 
near  Benton.  Mr.  L.  N".  Wood  of  the  Big  Muddy  Coal  Syndicate  kindly 
permitted  the  shipment  of  a  complete  core  from  the  SE.  14  N^-  % 
sec.  20,  T.  5  8.,  R.  3  K.  A  detailed  examination  of  the  core  is  recorded 
below : 

Record  of  a  core  from  Franklin  County. 


Thickness- 


Feet. 


Inches. 


Depth- 


Feet. 


Inches . 


VAsby,  yellow 

Shale,  gray,  calcareous 

Sandstone,  micaceous,  fine  to  coarse,  with  shale  partings,  and,  locally 

calcareous  cement 

Shale,  sandy,  micaceous,  thin  bituminous  partings 

Sandstone,  shaly,  very  micaceous,  numerous  bituminous  partings... 

Sandstone,  gray,  medium-grained,  with  bituminous  blotches 

Sandstone,  gray,  medium-grained,  some  bituminous  partings,  locally 

calcareous . . ." 

Sandstone,  gray,  medium-grained,  calcareous 

Sandstone,  micaceous,  coarse,  few  bituminous  partings 
Sandstone-conglomerate;  pebbles  one-half  incn   in   diameter,  some 

calcareous 
Sandstone,  gray,  coarse,  some  bituminous  partings 


Sandstone,  gray,  micaceous,  coarse;  contams  nine  coal  partings  one- 
half  inch  thick,  about  one  foot  from  the  bottom 


Shale,  gray,  slightly  micaceous 

Shale,  liglit-gray,  sandy,  micaceous 

Sandstone,  gray,  coarse,  calcareous 

Shale,  gray,  containing  fossil  aviculopeetens 

Shale,  gray 

Limestone, "  clod-like, "  coarse-textured,  with  abundant  crinoid  stems 

Shale,  gray 

Shale,  gray,  sandy,  micaceous 

Shale,  black,  bituminous  partings,  and  pyritized  fossils 

Shale,  gray , 

Shale,  black,  coaly  partings,  and  aviculopeetens 

Shale,  black 

Shale,  sandy,  micaceous 

Limestone,  argillaceous,  "  clod-like, "  crinoid  stems 

Limestone,  fossiliferous;  has  dark  blotches,  like  the  Carlinville  lime- 
stone 


sandv;  has  limestone  bands  one- 


Shale,  greenish-gray,  micaceous, 

fourth  to  one-half  inch  thick 

Shale,  gray,  in  places  sandy  and  micaceous 

Shale,  gray 

Limestone,  argillaceous 

Shale,  black 

Limestone,  argillaceous,  grading  into  calcareous  shale 


12 
17 

32 
40 
56 
70 

78 
80 
93 

94 
99 

103 
105 
106 
107 
129 
133 
133 
137 
138 
139 
140 
140 
141 
149 
150 


157 
217 
240 
241 
244 
247 


UDDEN]  DRILL   CORE    FROM    FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 

Record  of  a  core  from  Franklin  County — Concluded. 


801 


Thickness- 


Feet. 


Inches . 


Depth- 


Feet. 


Inches . 


Shale,  calcareous,  slightly  sandy 

Shale,  unconsolidated 

Limestone,  argillaceous 

Shale,  gray 

Limestone 

Shale,  gray,  in  places  micaceous  and  sandy. 

Shale,  gray,  sandy,  slightly  micaceous 

Coal 


Shale,  black,  bituminous  partings 

Shale,  calcareous,  fossiliferous 

Shale,  light-gray 

Shale,  light-gray,  calcareous,  containing  calcareous  bands 

Sandstone,  calcareous,  shale  partings 

Shale,  calcareous,  micaceous,  sandy,  locally  with  calcareous  bands. 

Shale,  micaceous,  sandy,  slightly  calcareous 

Shale,  dark-gray ." 

Shale,  light-gray,  sandy,  micaceous 

Shale,  dark-gray 

Shale,  light-gray,  sandy,  micaceous 

Shale,  light-gray  to  dark-gray,  locally  sandy  and  micaceous 

Shale,  dark-gray,  sandy,  micaceous,  with  few  bituminous  partings. 

Shale,  dark-gray,  micaceous,  slightly  sandy 

Shale,  dark-gray 

Shale,  calcareous,  fossiliferous 

Shale,  calcareous,  resembling  argillaceous  limestone 

Shale,  light-gray,  locally  calcareous 

Shale,  dark-gray 

Shale,  dark-gray,  occasional  coaly  partings 

Coal,  bony 

Shale,  gray,  unconsolidated 

Shale,  gray,  slightly  calcareous 

Limestone,  light-gray,  fossiliferous 

Shale,  gray 

Coal ' 


Shale,  gray 

Shale,  gray,  locally  sandy  and  micaceous 

Shale,  gray 

Shale,  light-gray,  partly  unconsolidated 

Limestone,  light-gray,  fossiliferous,  fine-textiu'ed . 

Shale,  gray,  fossiliferous,  slightly  calcareous 

Shale,  dark-gray. 


Shale,  light-gray  to  dark-gray 

Limestone,  dark,  argillaceous,  containing  Fusullnacylivdrica. 

Shale,  dark,  wanting,  reported 

Coal  No.  6  wanting 

Fire-clay,  wanting 


18 


10 


254 
256 
256 
257 
258 
275 
292 
292 
294 
294 
351 
355 
356 
360 
361 
369 
370 


428 
457 
475 
493 
494 
495 
499 
514 
519 
520 
538 
539 
542 
549 
551 
561 
565 
566 
571 
574 
578 
592 
604 
615 


HO'2  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


THE   FAUNAL   SUCCESSION   AND   THE  CORRE- 
LATION OF  THE   PRE-DEVONIAN  FORM- 
ATIONS OF  SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS. 

(By  T.  E  .Savage.) 


Contents. 

Page  . 

Introduction 304 

Earlier  geological  work 304 

Shumard's  report 304 

VVorthen's  reports 305 

Clear  Creek  limestone 305 

Cincinnati  group 305 

Trenton  group 306 

Later  papers 307 

Province  and  conditions  of  sedimentation 308 

Stratigraphy  of  the  area 309 

Table  of  formations 309 

Ordovician 309 

Mohawkian  series 309 

Kimmswick  limestone 309 

Detailed  section 310 

Table  of  fossUs 313 

Correlation 314 

Post-Kimmswick  unconformity 315 

Cincinnatian  series 315 

Fernvale  limestone 315 

Fossils  of  the  Fernvale  limestone 316 

Correlation 317 

Post- Fernvale  unconformity 318 

Thebes  sandstone  and  shale 318 

Distribution 319 

Detailed  section , 319 

Correlation 320 

Post-Thebes  unconformity 321 

Orchard  Creek  shale 321 

Distribution 322 

Detailed  section 322 

Fauna  of  Orchard  Creek  shale 323 

Correlation 324 

Orchard  Creek-Girardeau  contact 325 

Comparative  table  of  the  Cf  irardeau  and  Orchard  Creek  faunas 325 


SAVAGEj  PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  30B 

Contents — Concluded. 

Page  . 

Silurian 326 

Alexandrian  series 326 

Girardeau  limestone 327 

Distribution 327 

Detailed  section 327 

The  Girardeau,  an  early  Silurian  fauna 330 

Correlation 330 

Post  Girardeau  unconformity 331 

Edgewood  formation 331 

Detailed  sections •. 331 

Correlation 334 

Table  of  fossils  from  the  Edgewood  formation 334 

Channahon  limestone 334 

Post-Edgewood  unconformity 335 

Niagaran  series 336 

Sexton  Creek  formation 336 

Distribution 337 

Detailed  sections 337 

Fossils  of  the  Sexton  Creek  formation 339 

Correlation 340 

Post-Sexton  Creek  tmconformity 341 

Plates. 

33.  A  Photograph  of  the  Kimmswick  limestone 310 

B  View  of  the  Fernvale  and  Kimmswick  limestone 310 

34.  A  View  of  the  Thebes  sandstone 320 

B  View  of  the  lowpr  part  of  the  Thebes  sandstone 320 

35.  A  View  of  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  and  Thebes  sandstone 324 

B  Photograph  of  the  Girardeau  limestone 324 

36.  A  View  of  the  Girardeau  limestone  and  overlying  Tertiary  beds 330 

B  View  of  the  Edgewood  beds 330 

37.  A  Photograph  of  the  Sexton  Creek,  Edgewood,  and  Orchard  Creek  formations 334 

B  View  of  the  Sexton  Creek  limestone 334 


304  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


INTKODUCTIOlV. 

In  the  southern  portion  of  Illinois  local  deformations  and  subsequent 
erosion  have  exposed  at  tlie  surface  a  number  of  tlie  older  Paleozoic  forma- 
tions. Throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  succession  these  strata 
differ  in  their  lithology  and  fossil  content  from  those  of  the  pre-I)evo- 
nian  formations  in  northern  portions  of  the  State.  They  were  deposited 
in  a  basin  that  was  generally  more  or  less  completely  separated  from  that 
in  which  the  corresponding  sediments  of  northern  Illinois,  Iowa,  and 
Minnesota  were  laid  down.  The  area  over  which  these  older  formations 
appear  at  the  surface  in  this  portion  of  the  State  embraces  a  few  square 
miles  bordering  Mississippi  River  along  the  west  side  of  Alexander  and 
Union  counties. 

In  the  field  work  upon  which  this  paper  is  based,  the  fossils  were 
broken  out  of  the  successive  rock  layers  or  horizons,  and  the  fauna  of 
each  zone  was  kept  separate.  The  purpose  of  this  detailed  collecting 
of  the  fossils  was  to  obtain,  as  nearly  as  possible,  the  entire  fauna  of 
the  various  zones;  to  determine  the  relative  abundance  of  individuals 
of  tlie  several  forms;  and  the  vertical  range  of  tlie  various  species. 


EARLrEli  GEOLOGICAL  WOiav. 

Sllu.^[Al?D's  IxEPoirr. 

The  earliest  definite  description  of  some  of  the  lower  geologic  forma- 
tions occurring  in  southern  Illinois  appears  in  the  Report  of  the  Geo- 
logical Survey  of  Missouri  for  the  year  1855.  In  this  rei)ort  there  is 
given  a  discussion  of  certain  Paleozoic  horizons  in  southeastern  IMissouri 
which  applies  equally  w(^ll  to  the  rocks  that  occur  further  south  on  the 
Illinois  side  of  the  river.  On  ])age  154,  ])art  I^F,  of  this  report,  Shumard 
says: 

"From  one  and  one-half  to  two  miles  above  Cape  Girardeau  is  an 
exposure  of  about  40  feet  of  bluish-gray  limestone,  in  layers  from  2 
to  ()  inches  thick,  and  traversed  by  numerous  vertical  joints.  The  rock 
is  very  compact  and  l)reaks  with  a  smooth  splintery  fracture.  '•'  *  * 
In  some  portions  of  the  mass  fossils  occur  in  great  variety  and  abun- 
dance. They  are:  Cypliaspis  girardeauensis,  Acidasj)is  lirdli,  Proetus 
depresstis,  Encrinurus  deltoideus,  Chcirurus  sp.,  Honiocrinus  flexuosus, 
Glyptocrinus  fimhriatus,  Tentacidites  incurvus,  Protaster?,  Atrypa, 
Leptaena,  Orthis,  Ttirha,  Plenrotomaria,  and  crinoids  belonging  to  new 
genera: 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  305 

"I  have  referred  these  beds  to  the  Upper  Silurian  system  from  their 
stratigraphical  position,  and  from  the  occurrence  of  genera  of  trilobites 
which,  according  to  Barrande,  in  his  valuable  work  on  the  Silurian 
Sj^stem  in  Bohemia,  are  types  which  exhibit  the  greatest  development 
of  species  in  the  strata  of  that  period.  These  rocks  we  have  designated, 
provisionally,  under  the  name  Cape  Girardeau  limestone.  They  consti- 
tute the  lowermost  beds  of  Upper  Silurian  age  yet  found  in  this  State. 
*  *  *  On  the  summit  of  the  hills  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Girardeau 
is  found  a  reddish-brown,  argillaceous  sandstone  in  heavy  and  thin 
beds.  *  *  *  The  position  of  this  rock  is  immediately  above  the 
*^Cape  Girardeau  marble'  (Kimmswick  limestone)  and  beneath  the 
Upper  Silurian  strata  observed  two  miles  above  Cape  Girardeau  on  the 
Mississippi  Eiver." 

Worthen's  Eeports. 

In  volume  I  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Illinois,  Worthen^  devotes 
several  pages  to  a  discussion  of  the  stratigraphical  geology  of  the  State. 
The  following  extracts  from  chapter  IV  of  this  volume  will  indicate 
the  interpretation  Worthen  made  concerning  the  strata  exposed  in  this 


CLEAR  CREEK  LIMESTONE. 

On  page  12G  of  the  above  report  Worthen  says:  '^We  use  the  term 
X'lear  Creek  Limestone'  to  designate  a  group  of  strata  that  are  limited 
in  their  outcrop  to  the  counties  of  Union,  Jackson  and  Alexander.  *  *  * 
It  occupies  exactly  the  same  stratigraphical  horizon  in  southern  Illinois 
that  the  Niagara  limestone  occupies  in  the  northern  portions  of  tlie 
State.     *     *     * 

"It  would  appear  probable  that  no  beds  of 'undoubted  Niagara  age 
were  ever  laid  down  in  southern  Illinois,  but  in  their  place  these  siliceous 
limestones,  representing  in  part  the  age  of  the  lower  Helderberg  lime- 
stones and  in  part  the  Oriskany  sandstones  of  the  New  York  series,  were 
deposited,  resting  directly  upon  the  Cincinnati  group  of  the  Lower 
Silurian." 

CINCINNATI   GROUP. 

Describing  the  rocks  of  this  group  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State 
Worthen  says:  "They  consist  of  about  100  feet  in  thickness  of  brown, 
sandy  shales  and  regularly  bedded,  brown  sandstone  (Thebes  sand- 
stone), Avhich  form  the  lower  portion  of  the  group,  overlain  by  about 
40  feet  of  thin  bedded,  compact,  blue  limestone.  This  limestone  was 
described  in  the  Missouri  report  under  the  name  Cape  Girardeau  lime- 
stone, and  was  included  in  the  Upper  Silurian  system.  *  *  *  The 
sandstone  is  well  exposed  in  the  bluffs  at  the  town  of  Thebes,  anrl  has 
locallv  received  the  name  of  Tliebes  sandstone." 


I  Worthen:     Geol.  Surv.  of  III. .  vol  1,  1866 

—20  G 


306  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Neither  the  sandstone  nor  the  overlying  shale  has  afforded  any  fos- 
sils, except  a  single  species  of  Lingula  which  was  found  in  the  upper 
pai-t  of  the  shale.  *  *  *  Below  the  sandstone  there  is  a  bed  of 
yellowish-brown  shale,  about  5  feet  thick,  containing  fragments  of 
trilobites,  mostly  Asaphus  canalis  (Isotelus  n.  sp.),  in  abundance.  This 
shale  rests  directly  upon  the  Trenton  limestone.^^ 

TRENTON    GROUP. 

Concerning  the  Trenton  rocks  Worthen  writes:  ^'The  Trenton  lime- 
stone in  southern  Illinois  forms  the  reef  of  rocks,  known  as  the  'Grand 
Chain,'  that  crosses  the  Mississippi  Eiver  just  below  Thebes.  *  *  * 
This  limestone  is  elevated  in  the  Illinois  shore  to  a  height  of  about  70 
feet,  and  is  composed  of  massive  beds  of  light  gray,  semi-crystalline 
limestone.  *  *  *  Among  the  fossils  here  recognized  were  Stroy- 
homena  alternata  (=Rafinesquina  alte^iiata),  Orthis  testudinaria,  0. 
lynx,  Rhynchonella  capax  (^=Rhynchotrcma  capax),  Receptaculites  sul- 
catusf,  and  Illaenus  trentonensis  (=^Bumastus  trentonensis)/' 

Detailed  descriptions  of  the  geology  of  Alexander  and  Union  counties 
were  published  in  volume  III  of  the  Illinois  Geological  Survey  reports. 
A  general  summary  of  the  relations  and  thicknesses  of  the  lower  Paleo- 
zoic formations  in  this  region,  compiled  from  those  county  reports,  is 
given  in  tabular  form  below.  This  will  show  Worthen's  classification 
of  the  strata  of  this  area  in  1868. 

Generalized  Section  of  the  Lower  Paleozic  Strata  in  Southwestern  Illinois, 
taken  from  Volume  III  of  the  Illinois   Geological)  reports. 


Upper  Silurian. 


Lower  Silurian . 


Lower  Helderberg  limestone:  Thin  beds  of  siliceous  limestone  alternating 
with  layers  of  chert.  Towards  the  base  are  heavy  beds  of  mottled  brown- 
ish-red, gray  and  buff  limestone.  At  the  base  are  six  feet  of  coarse,  steel- 
gray  limestone  containing  Dalmavites  danae. 

Cincinnati  group:  Limestone,  shale  and  sandstone.  "Cape  Girardeau 
limestone"  and  "Thebes  sandstone  and  shale." 

Trenton  limestone:  Heavy  beds  of  light  gray,  or  bluish-white,  crystalline 
limestone. 


T'w^o  years  later  Worthen^  reverted  to  his  first  view  with  regard  to 
the  correlation  of  the  Niagara  dolomites  of  northern  Illinois  with  the 
siliceous  limestones  lying  between  the  Clear  Creek  (Oriskany)  beds  and 
the  Cape  Girardeau  limestone,  in  the  southwest  portion  of  the  State. 
He  says: 

"In  the  first  volume  of  the  report  on  the  Geological  Survey  of  Illinois, 
the  siliceous  limestones  of  the  southern  portion  of  the  State  and  the 
Niagara  dolomites  of  northern  Illinois  were  regarded  as  the  stratigraphic 
equivalents  of  the  Niagara  group,  and  were  included  together  as  a  single 
division  of  the  Upper  Silurian  series.,  *  *  *  Subsequently  we  were 
induced,  from  the  dissimilarity  of  the  fossils  from  the  different  sections 


'Worthen:    Amer.  Asso,  Adv.  of  Sci.,  vol.  19,  1870,  p.  172. 


savage]  PRE-DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  307 

of  the  State,  to  regard  the  siliceous  limestones  of  southern  Illinois  as 
the  representatives  of  a  higher  geological  horizon.  We,  therefore,  placed 
them  above  the  dolomites  of  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  as  the 
equivalents  of  the  so-called  Lower  Helderberg  group. 

"We  are  now,  however,  fully  satisfied,  from  a  further  examination  of 
the  Upper  Silurian  strata  over  a  more  extended  region,  that  our  first 
conclusion  was  correct,  and  that  the  siliceous  limestones  and  dolomites 
represent  the  same  geological  horizon;  and  that  the  difference  in  the 
specific  character  of  their  fossil  contents  is  entirely  due  to  the  changes 
in  the  oceanic  conditions  under  which  they  were  deposited,  and  not  to 
the  different  ages  of  the  sediments  themselves.'^ 

Later  Papers. 

In  Bulletin  No.  1  of  the  present  series  of  Illinois  State  Geological 
reports,  Weller  gives  a  summary  of  the  geological  formations  known  to 
occur  in  the  State.  In  this  report  the  formations  of  the  area  under 
consideration  are  left  practically  as  published  in  volume  III  of  the 
Worthen  reports. 

A  revision  of  the  above  bulletin  was  published  as  Bulletin  No.  6  of 
the  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey.  In  this  latter  paper,  Weller  is 
disposed  to  regard  the  greater  part,  if  not  all,  of  Worthen's  Lower  Helder- 
berg group  of  this  region  as  Niagaran  in  age,  as  appears  from  the  fol- 
lowing statement  on  page  20 : 

"In  the  old  reports  of  the  Illinois  Survey,  Worthen  referred  to  an 
important  formation  of  interbedded  cherts  and  limestone  in  these  soutli- 
western  counties,  some  250  feet  in  maximum  thickness,  as  the  Lower 
Helderberg,  but  this  formation  is  quite  certainly  of  Silurian  age,  at 
least  for  the  most  part.  True  Helderberg  fossils  have  been  found  at 
but  few  isolated  localities,  and  as  yet  nowhere  in  Illinois,  in  certain 
beds  at  the  summit  of  the  formation;  but  the  true  relations  of  these 
genuine  Helderberg  beds  to  the  subjacent  Silurian  formation  is  not  yet 
wholly  understood.  Typical  Niagaran  fossils,  however,  have  been  found 
at  several  points  within  the  area  of  the  so-called  Lower  Helderbero-  of 
Worthen.'^ 

In  1908  the  writer^  published  a  preliminary  statement  of  the  strati- 
graphy of  the  Lower  Paleozoic  formations  in  southwestern  Illinois.  In 
this  paper  it  was  shown  that  the  strata  occurring  between  the  Clear 
Creek  (Oriskany)  formation  and  the  Cape  Girardeau  limestone,  in 
southwestern  Illinois,  consisted  of  160  feet  or  more  of  true  Helderberg 
(iSTew  Scotland)  strata  overlying  about  80  feet  of  Clinton  and  earlier 
Silurian  beds.  No  strata  were  found  in  southwestern  Illinois  that 
could  be  considered  the  equivalent  of  the  Niagara  dolomites  occurring 
further  north  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

In  a  later  paper  consistent  names  were  applied  to  the  several  forma- 
tions of  the  Ordovician  and  Silurian  systems  occurring  in  this  area.^ 


'Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour,  of  Sci.,  vol.  25,  May,  1908,  pp.  431-443. 
-Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour,  of  Sci.,  vol.  28,  December,  1909,  pp.  509-519. 


808  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Further  Held  work  has  yielded  iufonnation  eoneeruing  some  of  the 
formations^  additional  to  that  already  published.  In  the  main,  however, 
the  present  report  is  an  amplification,  in  much  greater  fullness  of  detail, 
of  the  outline  contained  in  the  preliminary  statement.  The  correlations 
in  this  paper,  however,  are  much  more  complete  than  have  ever  been 
attempted  heretofore. 

Xo  careful  study  of  the  Lower  Paleozoic  beds  of  this  region  as  a  whole 
has  ever  been  made  previous  to  the  present  work.  This  neglect  was 
doubtless  due  in  part  to  the  small  size  of  the  area,  and  to  the  absence 
of  the  more  important  economic  deposits.  It  was  also  partly  owing  to  the 
fact  that  many  deformations  and  unconformities  are  found  in  this  region, 
which  make  the  geological  relations  of  the  beds  obscure.  Inasmuch  as 
the  strata  were  deposited  in  a  basin  that,  for  a  large  part  of  the  time, 
was  separated  from  the  one  in  which  the  beds  of  corresponding  age  in 
the  northern  portions  of  the  State  were  laid  down,  their  correlation  is 
unusuallv  diflficult. 


PEOVINCE  AXD  (^OXl)JTiONS  OF  SEDIMENTATION^. 

The  Lower  Paleozoic  strata  in  southwestern  Illinois  were  laid  down 
in  an  arm  of  the  sea  that  had  connection  southward  with  the  Mexican 
Gulf  region  along  a  depression  now  occupied  by  the  lower  course  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  It  was  through  this  southward  sea  connection  that 
the  successive  faunas  reached  the  basin  under  consideration. 

In  this  basin  the  sea  pulsated  backward  and  forward.  Sometinies  it 
extended  north  beyond  the  borders  of  Jackson  County,  Illinois,  and 
again  it  Avithdrew  southward  l^elow  the  limits  of  the  State.  During  the 
periods  of  sea  advance  the  basin  received  deposits  of  sandstone,  shale 
or  limestone.  ^.I'he  sediments  laid  down  north  of  the  area  under  con- 
sideration, during  the  times  of  sea  transgression,  are  generally  concealed 
by  later  deposits,  but  some  of  them  appear  in  certain  areas  further 
north  and  west.  During  the  intervals  of  sea  withdrawal  this  was  a  land 
area,  the  surface  of  which  was  subjected  to  erosion.  As  a  consequence, 
there  are  found  here  many  breaks  in  the  continuity  of  sedimentation, 
and  many  instances  of  erosional  unconformity.  This  basin  was  situated 
immediately  east  of  the  Ozarkian  land  mass,  Avhich  formed  the  west 
l)order  of  the  sea  embayment.  On  this  account  slight  changes  in  the 
strand  line  were  registered  along  its  shores,  and  even  the  minor  oscilla- 
tions of  the  sea  were  recorded. 

During  the  long  Lower  Paleozoic  time  there  also  occurred,  at  intervals, 
local  folding  of  the  strata  very  similar  in  character  to  the  Cincinnati 
axis,  but  smaller  in  size.  Such  folds  were  of  no  great  vertical  height, 
yet  they  were  in  some  places  of  sufficient  size  to  constitute  land  barriers 
within  the  general  basin  of  sedimentation  during  tlie  times  of  sea 
invasion. 

As  a  result  of  the  above  conditions,  there  occurs,  in  southwestern  Illi- 
nois, not  a  complete  record   of  the  Lower  Paleozoic  time,  but  a  most 


SAVAGE] 


PRE-DEVONIAN   OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS. 


809 


remarkable  succession  of  disconnected  strata  whose  chronologic  record 
can  be  determined  only  by  the  foi^sils  which  they  contain.  It  will  be 
shown  that  there  are  at  least  five,  and  possibly  six,  such  stratigraphic. 
breaks  in  the  record  here  described. 

A  few  of  the  formations  are  of  more  than  usual  geologic  interest 
because  they  were  deposited  at  a  time  when  sedimentation  was  not 
general,  or  under  conditions  different  from  those  in  which  beds  of  cor- 
responding age  were  laid  down  in  other  portions  of  the  continent. 


STEATIGEAPHY  OF  THE  AEEA. 

The  general  relations  of  the  pre-Devonian  formations  occurring  in 
southwestern  Illinois,  as  determined  by  the  present  work,  are  shown  in 
tabular  form  below: 

Table  of  Formations. 


System. 


niiiiois  formations. 


Thickness . 
— feet. 


Silurian 

Niagaran  (Clinton) 

Sexton  Creek  limestone 

16-70 

0-12* 

33 

Orchard  Creek  shale  

17-22 

75i 

Femvale  limestone        

0-3^ 

Mohawkian 

Kimmswick  limestone 

70-82 

Unconformities. 


Okdoviciax  System. 


MOHAWKIAN    SERIES. 


Kimm  sivick  Lim  esto  n  e. 


The  name  "Kimmswick  limestone"  was  apj^lied  by  Ulrich^  to  a  series 
of  limestone  beds  which  correspond  with  the  "Cape  Girardeau  Marble" 
of  the  earlier  ^Missouri  reports,  and  which  are  well  exposed  in  the  vicinity 
of  Kimmswick,  in  Jefferson  County,  Missouri.  The  rocks  of  this  forma- 
tion outcrop  along  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  Elver,  near  the  town  of 
Thebes  in  Alexander  County,  Illinois,  where  they  occur  to  a  maximum 
thickness  of  about  82  feet.  They  are  exposed  only  where  the  river  has 
cut  across  low  arches  or  anticlines  which  have  brought  the  strata  of  this 
formation  above  the  level  of  the  Avater. 

The  largest  arch  extends  across  the  river  a  short  distance  south  of 
Thebes,  in  a  direction  about  north  72°  east.  The  upper  layers  of  the 
formation  are  usually  concealed  by  surficial  materials.  Talus  blocks  of 
the  limestone  appear  in  the  river  bluff  to  a  height  of  75  feet  above  the 


Ulrich:  Mo.  Bureau  of  Mines,  2d  series,  vol.  2,  1C04,  p.  111. 


)U0  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

level  of  low  water.  The  anticlines  plunge  towards  the  east.  In  that 
direction  this  limestone  soon  disappears  beneath  younger  formations,  so 
that  its  outcrops  are  limited  to  the  immediate  bank  of  the  river. 

The  stone  piers  at  the  east  end  of  the  Thebes  bridge  rest  upon  a 
natural  ledge  of  Kimmswick  limestone.  South  of  this  point  Kimmswick 
strata  are  exposed  more  or  less  continuously  for  a  distance  of  one 
and  one-half  miles  (PI.  33,  A).  North  of  Thebes  they  outcrop  inter- 
ruptedly for  two  miles  further.  One-fourth  mile  north  of  Thebes  is  a 
low  arch  of  Kimmswick  limestone  which  appears  to  be  a  secondary  fold 
on  the  north  flank  of  the  main  anticline.  South  of  Thebes  another 
narrow  belt  of  this  limestone  crosses  the  river  not  far  from  the  mouth 
of  Orchard  Creek.  Still  another  exposure  of  Kimmswick  limestone 
occurs  on  Little  Rock  Island,  near  the  Illinois  side  of  the  river  about 
two  miles  north  of  Thebes  and  a  short  distance  west  of  the  village  of  Gale, 

In  this  region  the  Kimmswick  beds  consist  of  light  colored,  coarsely 
crystalline,  non-magnesian  limestone,  in  layers  from  a  few  inches  to  4 
feet  or  more  in  thickness.  Towards  the  top  the  rock  becomes  finer  in 
texture,  and  carries  narrow  chert  bands  enclosed  within,  or  as  partings 
between,  the  layers  of  limestone. 

In  its  fossils  and  lithology  this  limestone  corresponds  with  the  Kimms- 
wick limestone  of  Ulrich,  and  with  the  "Cape  Girardeau  marble"  of  the 
old  reports,  of  which  it  is  clearly  the  equivalent.  It  is  well  exposed  at 
Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri,  where  it  is  quarried  on  an  extensive  scale.  It 
extends  northward  as  far  as  Pike  County,  Missouri;  and  Jersey  and 
Calhoun  counties,  Illinois. 

The  rocks  of  this  formation  differ  widely  in  their  lithology  and 
faunas  from  those  of  Mohawkian  age  in  the  northern  portion  of  the 
State,  with  some  part  of  which  they  were  doubtless  contemporaneous. 
Pelecypods  and  gastropods  make  up  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
Mohawkian  fossils  in  Minnesota,  while  in  the  Kimmswick  beds  of  Illinois 
and  Missouri,  representatives  of  these  classes  are  subordinate  to  those  of 
the  brachiopods  and  trilobites. 

Detailed  Section. — A  detailed  section  of  the  Kimmswick  limestone, 
exposed  in  the  main  arch  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Thebes,  is 
given  below,  together  with  lists  of  fossils  from  the  several  members. 
This  section,  and  all  others  herein  described,  begin  with  (a)  at  the  base 
of  the  formation  and  proceed  upward,  so  that  the  section  as  written 
appears  inverted.  The  relative  abundance  of  individuals  of  the  several 
species  in  the  various  members  of  the  sections  is  indicated  by  the  suffix 
r   (^rare),  c   (=common),  or,  a   (=abundant)   after  the  names. 

Section   three-fourths   mile  south   of  Thebes,   designated   S82.     Total   thick- 
ness 69  feet,  9  inches. 

S82a  Light  gray,  coarsely  crystalline  limestone   2  feet,  6  inches 

The  greater  part  of  this  layer  was  under  water  at  the  time  the  locality  was 
studied,  hence  no  collection  of  fossils  was  made. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  33. 


View  showing  the  massive  character  of  the  Kimmswick  limestone  along  the  Chicago  and  Eastern 
Illinois  Railroad,   about   1   mile  south   of  Thebes. 


Femvale 
limestone. 


Kimmswick 
limestone. 


View  showing  the  Fernvale  limestone  overlying  the  Kimmswick  in  the  east  part  of  Cape  Girardeau, 
Mo.    The  hammer  shows  the  line  of  contact  of  the  two  formations. 


savageJ 


PRE-DEVGNIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS. 


811 


S82b  Bed  of  gray  to  white,  subcrystalline  limestone   3  feet, 

Trilobites  are  abundant  and  brachiopods  also  common. 


2  inches 


Triplecia  sp.  c, 

Zygospira  recurvirostris  c, 

Strophostylus  textilis  r, 

Cyclonema     (Gyronema)     of.     praecip- 

turn  r, 
Orthoceras  sp.  undt.  r, 
Bronteus  lunatus  r, 
Btimastus  trentonensis  a, 
Bumastus  orbicaudatus  c, 
Calymene  callicephala  r, 
Ceraurus  pleiirexanthemMs  r, 
Illaenus  americanus  c, 
Isotelus  cf.  maximus  c, 
Platymetopus  cucuUus  c, 
Pseudosphaerexochus  cf.  vulcanus  r, 
Pterygometopus  intermedius  r, 
Remopleurides  cf.  canadensis  r. 

S82c  Gray  limestone  in  layers  6  to  12  inches  thick 2  feet 

Brachiopods  more  numerous  but  trilobite  remains  fewer  than  in  S82b. 


Receptaculites  oweni  r, 
Glitamhonites  sp.  r, 
Dalmanella  testiidinaria  rogata  c, 
Dinorthis  pectinella  c, 
Dinorthis  sp.  r, 
Parastrophia  hemiplicata  r, 
Parastrophia  hemiplicata  var.  r, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  c, 
Raflnesquina  altemata  c, 
Rcenidium  anthonense  r, 
Strophomena  cf.  hillingsi  r, 
Strophomena  scofieldi  r, 
Strophomena  trentonensis  r, 
Strophomena  sp.  undt.  r, 
Triplecia  sp.  r. 


Streptelasma  sp.  undt.  v  r, 
Dalmanella  sp.  r, 

Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  a, 
Dinorthis  pectinella  r, 
Parastrophia  hemiplicata  c, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  c, 
Plectamhonites  sericeus  minnesoten- 

sis  c, 
Raflnesquina  altemata  a, 
Rhynchotrema  inaequivalve  c, 
Rhynchotrema  sp.  c, 
Rhynchonella  anticostiensis  var.  c, 
Schizomhon  sp.  r, 
Strophomena  emaciata  r, 
Strophomena  trentonensis  r. 


Strophoinena  sp.  undt,  r, 
Zygospira  recurvirostris  c, 

Orthoceras  sp.  undt.  r, 
Bumastus  trentonensis  c. 


Illaenus  americanus  c, 
Illaenus  sp.  r. 


Platymetopus  cucullus  c, 
Pterygometopus  intermedius  r. 


S82b  Layer  of  gray  lim.estone,  of  rather  fine  texture  1  foot,  6  inches 

Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  c, 

Dinorthis  pectinella  v  r,  .  Raflnesquina  altertiata  a, 

Platystrophia  sheppardi  c,  Bumastus   trentonensis  r. 

S82e  Light  gray  limestone,  coarsely  subcrystalline    1  foot,   9  inches 


Receptaculites  oiveni  r, 
Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  r. 
Dinorthis  sp.  r, 
Rafl7iesquina  alternata  c, 
Zygospira  recurvirostris  r, 


Orthoceras  sp.  undt.  c, 

Bronteus  lunatus  r, 
Bumastus  trentonensis  c, 
Illaenus  americanus  r. 


S82f  Light  gray,  subcrystalline  limestone 
Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  r, 
Dinorthis  sp.  r, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  r, 
Plectorthis  plicatella  r, 
Raflnesquina  alternata  c. 


3  feet 


Strophomena  scofieldi  r, 


Illaenus  americanus  r, 
Isotelus  cf.  maximus  r. 


;U2 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


fBULL.  NO.  16 


S82g  Light  gray,  crystalline  limestone  1   foot,  6  inches 

Dalmanella  tesUidinaria  rogata  a, 


Parastrophia  hemiplicata  c, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  r, 
Plectambonites  sericeus  minnesoten- 

sis  r, 
Raftnesquina  altemata  c, 
Rhynchotrema  inaequivalve  r, 
SStrophomena  trentonensis  r, 
Bumastus  trentonensis  r, 


Ceraurus  pleurexanthemus  v  r, 


Cyrtometopus  cf.  scofieldi  v  r 
Illaenus  americanus  r, 
Platymctopus  cucullus  r. 


S82h  Light  gray,  coarsely 
KeceptacuUtes  oweni  r, 
Crania  trentonensis  r. 
Crania  cf.  setigera  r, 
Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  r, 
Dinorthis  pectinella  c, 
Dinorthis  sp.  r, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  r, 
Plectorthis  plicatella  r, 
Raflnesquina  altemata  a, 
Raftnesquina  minnesotensis  r, 
Strophomena   sp.   iindt.  r, 
Triplecia  sp.  r, 
Cyrtolites  ornatus  var.  r, 


granular  limestone   2  feet,  4  inches 


Orthoceras  sp.  undt.  r, 
Bronteus  lunatus  c, 
Bumastus  trentonensis  c, 
lllaenus  americanus  c, 
Isotelus  cf.  maximus  r, 
Platymetopus  cucullus  r, 
Remopleurides  striatulus 


S82i  Gray  limestone,  subcrystalline  in  texture   4  feet 


Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  r, 
Dinorthis  sp.  r,- 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  c, 
Plectorthis  plicatella  r, 
Raflnesquina  altemata  a, 
Ambonychia  amygdalina  r, 

S82j    Gray,   coarsely   crystalline 
Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  a, 
Platystrophia  sheppardi  c, 
Rafinesquina  altemata  r, 


Orthoceras  sp.  undt.  r, 

Bumastus  trentonensis  r, 
lllaenus  americanus  r, 
riatymetopus  cucullus  r. 

limestone    1   foot,    6    inches 


Triplecia  sp.  r. 


S82k  Bed  of  massive,  gray  to  pink  crystalline  limestone  .  .  .8  feet,  6  inches 
Receptaculites  oweni  r,  Bumastus  trentonensis  r, 

Dinorthis  sp.  r,  lllaenus  americanus  r. 

Platystrophia  sheppardi  r, 
Rafinesquina  aJtemata  c, 

S821    Heavy    layer   of    light    gray,    crystalline    limestone,    slightly    mottled 
with  pink,  no  fossils  found    4  feet 

S82m   Ledge  of  gray,  granular  limestone,   weathered   into   layers   3   to   10 

inches   thick 7  feet 

Crania  trentonensis  r,  Strophomena  trentonensis  r, 

Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  c, 

Dinorthis  sp.  c,  Triplecia  sp.  r, 

Platystrophia  sheppardi  c, 

Rapiesquina  altemata  c,  lllaenus  americanus  r, 

Rhynchotrema  inaequivalve  r,  Isotelus  cf.  maximus  c. 

S82n   Concealed    12  feet 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS,  B18 

S82o   Bed    of    massive,    light   gray,    granular    limestone,    subcrystalline    in 

texture,  with  few  fossils   15  feet 

Dalmanella  testuclinaria  rogata  r, 

Rafinesquina  alternata  r,  Thaleops  cf.  ovata  r. 

In  the  outcrop  of  tlie  Kiinmswick  limestone  on  Little  Kock  Island,  a 
short  distance  west  of  Gale,  a  thickness  of  ahout  12  feet  is  exposed.  The 
rock  is  light  gray  in  color  and  ver}'  coarsely  granular  in  texture.  It 
belongs  to  a  horizon  near  that  of  S82b  of  the  foregoing  section,  probably 
only  a  short  distance  lower,  as  is  indicated  by  the  following  fossils  which 
it  furnished. 

Fossils  from  the  Kimmsirick  Limestone  Exposed  on  Little  Rock  Island. 

Parastrophia  hemiplicata  var,  r, 

CUtambonites  sp.  r,  Zygospira  recurvirostris  c, 

Crania  cf,  setigera  v  r,  Holopea  cf.  pyrene  v  r, 

Dalmanella  testudinaria  rogata  c,  Orthoceras  sp.  r, 

Dinorthis  sp.  c,  ^ronteus  limatus  c, 

Dinorthis  pectinella  r,  lUaenus  americaniis  c, 

Platystrophia  sheppardi  a, 

Raflnesquina  alternata  c,  Isoteliis  cf.  maximns  r, 

Rhynchotrema  inaequivalve  c,  Lichas  sp.  r, 

Rhynchotrema  sp.  r, 

Rhynchonella?  anticostiensis  var.  r, 

Strophomena  emaciata  r,  Platymetopus  cucullus  c, 

Strophomena  trentonensis  v  r,  Platymetopus  cf.  rohhinsi  r. 

Triplecia  sp.  c, 

The  uppermost  layers  of  Kimmswick  limestone  whi-ch  occur  immedi- 
ately below  the  Rhynchotrema  capax  horizon  one-fourth  mile  north  of 
Thebes,  are  light  colored  and  somewhat  finely  crystalline.  They  contain 
but  few  fossils,  and  carry  some  chert  in  the  form  of  interrupted  nodular 
bands. 

Table  of  fossils. — The  stratigraphic  range  of  the  species  occurring  in 
the  Kimmswick  limestone  is  given  in  the  following  table.  In  this  table 
crosses  in  the  respective  columns  on  the  right  of  the  names  indicate  that 
the  species  are  also  present  as  follows:  Column  1,  in  the  Trenton  of 
I^ew  York;  columns  2,  3,  4,  and  5,  in  the  Black  Kiver  beds,  the  CU- 
tambonites bed,  the  Fusispira  bed,  and  the  Richmond,  respectively,  iji 
Minnesota.^ 


Ulrich:    Paleontology  of  Minnesota,  vol.  3,  pt.  2. 


314 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  (BULL.  NO.  16 

Comparative  table  of  the  Kimmiswick  fossils. 


N.  Y. 

Up.  Miss 

.  Valley 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

/'ecfj)t(iciiJites  oweni  (Hall) 

X 

X 

('li/(iiiih<)iiifff<  sp 

Cm  Ilia  tirntonensis  (Hall) 

X 

....... 

X 

J)<ilmnri(  lla  testudinaria  rogcita  Sardeson 

X 

DdliiHiiu  ilasTp .                 .          . 

Dinorthls  pectinella  (Emmons) 

X 

X 

X 

J^arastrophiahemiplicata  {Hall) 

X 

X 

Farastrophia  hemiplicata  var 

Plalystrophia  sheppardi  CdstlensiU 

X 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

Plectambonites  minnesotensis  Sardeson 

Plrcforth  is  plicatella  Hall .... 

X 
X 

■    X 

X 

Udf: lusij II inn  uUcrnaia  Emmons) 

X 

Riifi lit siiiiiiKi  minnesotensis  (N.  H.  Winchell) 

J'/ii/iic/ionrllii  niificostiensis  var 

Ji'/n/iic/io/rniKi  iiiaequivalve  (Castlenau) 

X 

X 

nil ij iicliol re itHt  SI) 

Scevidium  anthonense  Sardeson . , 

X 

Strophomena  hillin^si  Winchell  and  Schuchert 

X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

SIrophoiiiciia  scofichli  W inchell  and  Schuchert 

"     X 

■'x' 

Triplecia  sp 

Zygospira  recurvirostris  (Hall) 

X 

X 

X 

X 

Cyi'tolites  otikiIus  var 

X 

x' 

Jlolopea  cf.  pyreve  Billings 

X 
X 
X 
X 

Sfroplioslijlus'tr.iiilis  T'lricli  nnd  Scofield           

X 

A  iiihoii ijc/i id  (1  III i/>!(htl i iKi  iliill 

X 

Vanuxemia  sp  undt 

Bronteus  lunatus  Billings 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

....... 

x' 

X 
X 
X 

Calywene  caUiceplnild  ( > rccii 

X 

('Craurus  pleurexanlli runts  ( Jreen. .  ^ 

X 

X 

X 

Isotelus  cf .  maximus  Locke 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

I'ld/i/iiuiopiis  ci  rohhi iisi  XJlrich 

I''\eu(los pfidffc I'oc/i II  s'  el  vulccinus  Billings 

J'tei'i/ooiuetopiis  infcriiwd ins  Walcott 

X 

JiemopleiiTides  ci  cniiddciisis  Billings 

Correlation. — lllrich  and  Winchell^  have  shown  that  the  Galena  dolo- 
mite in  the  upper  Mississippi  Valley  represents  only  a  lithologic  phase 
of  the  Trenton,  and  that  the  lower  limit  of  the  Galena  is  not  a  constant 
horizon;  that  it  is  not  a  distinct  upper  member  of  the  Trenton  group, 
as  was  earlier  supposed,  but  is  to  be  correlated  with  the  entire  Trenton 
of  New  York.  The  authors,  mentioned  above,  have  separated  the  Tren- 
ton group  in  Minnesota  into  three  divisions.  The  lower  is  called  the 
CUtamhonites  bed;  the  middle  portion  constitutes  the  Fusispira  bed; 
and  the  upper  part  is  designated  the  Madurea  bed. 


TTlrich  and  Winchell:    Ool.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey  of  Minn.,  1«97,  vol.  :?,  pt.  2,  p.  28:  (^XL. 


SAVAGE]  PEE-DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  315 

Out  of  thirty-five  species  of  fossils  from  the  Kimmswick  limestone  of 
Illinois,  which  also  occur  in  the  Mohawkian  beds  of  Minnesota,  nine 
appear  in  the  Black  Eiver,  six  of  which  persist  into  the  Trenton.  Twen- 
ty occur  in  the  Clitamhonites  bed,  or  the  lower  portion  of  the  Trenton, 
nine  of  which  continue  upward  into  the  overlying  division.  Twenty- 
four  species  are  found  in  the  Fusispira  bed,  or  middle  division;  while 
only  a  single  one  of  these  occurs  in  the  Maclurea  bed  at  the  top.  Seven 
of  the  above  mentioned  species  reappear  in  the  Eichmond  strata. 

From  the  above  considerations  the  Kimmswick  limestone  is  thought 
to  be  the  equivalent  of  the  middle  portion  of  the  Trenton — Fusispira 
bed — of  the  upper  Mississippi  Valley. 

The  horizons  in  the  Minnesota  section  in  which  -the  various  Kimms- 
wick fossils  occur  are  shown  in  the  foregoing  table.  It  may  be  seen 
from  this  table  that  all  of  the  Kimmswick  fossils  occurring  in  the  New 
York  strata  are  also  found  in  the  Trenton  group. 

Tile  Post-Kimmswioh  Unconformity. 

After  the  deposition  of  the  Kimmswick  limestone  in  southwestern 
Illinois  there  succeeded  an  interval  during  which  the  region  was  above 
the  sea,  and  subjected  to  the  agents  of  weathering  and  erosion.  Such 
a  land  interval  is  suggested  by  the  presence,  beneath  the  Fernvale  or 
Rhynchoirema  capax  limestone,  of  solution  or  decomposition  channels 
filled  with,  red  colored,  residual  clay.  It  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  the 
upper  surface  of  the  Kimmswick  limestone,  on  which  the  succeeding 
Fernvale  beds  rest,  is  irregular  and  does  not  represent. a  constant  strati- 
graphic  horizon. 

Ulrich  was  the  first  to  recognize  the  presence  of  this  unconformity  in 
Jefferson  County,  Missouri;  Weller  has  noted  a  similar  erosion  interval 
in  Calhoun  County,  Illinois ;  and  the  writer  has  seen  similar  indications 
of  an  unconformity  at  the  latter  locality,  and  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Mis- 
souri. The  time  involved  in  this  erosion  period  was  very  long,  for 
some  of  the  upper  Trenton  and  all  of  the  Utica  and  Lorraine  deposits 
are  wanting,  and  probably  a  part  of  the  early  Eichmond  sediments  are 
also  absent. 

CINCINNATIAN   SERIES. 

The  rocks  of  the  Cincinnatian  series  in  Alexander  County,  Illinois, 
are  all  embraced  in  the  Eichmond  stage.  They  include  three  distinct 
but  thin  formations — (1)  the  Fernvale  limestone  at  the  base,  (2)  the 
Thebes  sandstone  and  shale,  and   (3)  the  Orchard  Creek  shale. 

The  Fernvale  Limestone. 

■  When  the  sea  returned  to  this  region,  after  the  long  post-Kimmswick 
erosion  interval,  the  bordering  lands  were  low  and  the  waters  so  clear 
that  the  conditions  were  favorable  for  limestone  accumulation.  The 
limestone  formed  during  this  time  constitutes  the  Fernvale  formation 


^^^  YEAB-BOOK    FOB    1909.  [b„l,.  ^o.  16 

mod  Irom  the  village  of  Fernvale,  in  Willia.nsofcountv    Tennessee' 
Ivmg  the  Ivnnmswick  formation  in  the  vicinity  of  Thebes   rconsidered 

atttto''poiSrf  ?"'.  '"''""'■''  ""^  i""r"°"  '^  "^  P''^'^*^  «^««>t  «'«1 
di  otner  points    It   has  a   niaxinnim   thickness   of    7   feet      It   consists 

of  light  colored,  coarsely  crystalline  limestone  which  rests  ,  nconfo    , 

an  f  Z^^^Ttr^^T'  r'  ''  r^'-'«'"  '^'  «-  brownZSo'n 
anci   sandy   shale  of  tlie    Ihebes   formation    (PI.    33,   B)       In    south 

western  Illinois  the  Fernvale  beds  consist  of  a  simlaright  colored 

crystalline  limestone  which  was  seen  at  only  two  points,  at  eidi  olhTch 

^Xflanl  °ofth?Tr  "'''  '-T^'r  ^4'-  0-  of  these  tafof 
'■L  n,;T  1.  l^™™r"ck  arcli,  one-fourth  mile  north  of  Thebes 
I  he  thickness  here  did  not  exceed  3  feet.  However,  the  upper  part  had 
been  exposed  to  erosion  by  the  river,  and  its  development  oTt  le^Tl  ino' < 
shore  may  originally  have  been  somewhat  greater.  The  other  exposure 
IS  in  the  south  part  of  Thebes  wdiere  a  thiclfness  of  31/,  feet  of  thS^Zie- 
s  one  occurs  immediately  underlying  the  Thebes  sandstone  In  other 
places  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  this  formation  is  persistently  thin      T 

fo  m'fwere  .'ofretf'/  '°T  ^^'^''"""'^  ^^'""«'  °^  "''''•''   the' following 

lornis  ML^ic  colleett'd  from  tlio  cxpof-'ures  near  Tliebes : 

Fossils  from  the  Fernvale  Limestone  near  Thebes,  Illinois, 
Bulbous  segments  of  Echinoderm  stems  c, 
Dalmanella  testudinaria  var.  r, 
Dinorthis  subquadrata  c,  ' 

Dinorthis  proavita  c, 
Hebertella  insculpta  c, 
Hebertella  sp.  c, 
Leptaena  unicostata  var.  r, 
Orthis  tricenaria  c, 
Platystrophia  acutiUrata  c, 
Plectorthis  whitfieldi  c, 
Rafinesquina  alternata  c,  ■ 

Rhynchotrema  capax  c, 
Strophomena  billingsi  r, 
8.  fluctuosa  r, 
8.  planodorsata  c, 
8.  rugosa  c, 
Pterinea  sp.  r, 
Vanuxemia  sp.  r, 
Orthoceras  cf.  perroti  r, 
Calymene  calUcephala  r, 
Isotelus  maximus  c. 


'Ulrieh  and  Hayes:  Columbia,  Tennessee,    Folio,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  No.  95,  1903,  p.  2. 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN   OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  817 

In  the  Fernvale  limestone  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri,  the  following  forms, 
additional  to  the  above,  were  collected: 
Cypricardites  sp.  r, 
Modiolopsis  cf.  excellens  r, 
Holopea  ampla  r, 
Illaenus  americanus  c, 
Isotelus  cf.  susae  r. 

Correlation. — The  sediments  of  Kic-hmond  age  in  Iowa  and  northwest 
Illinois  have  been  designated  the  Maquoketa  beds.  The  continuit}'  of  the 
^laquoketa  sea  in  Illinois  and  Iowa  was  apparently  broken  by  a  number 
of  low,  land  barriers  extending  in  a  somewhat  northeast-southwest  di- 
rection. This  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  the  lower,  middle  and  upper 
portions  of  the  Maquoketa  dejDOsits  are  very  different  in  areas  not  widely 
separated.  A  conspicuous  example  of  this  local  difference  in  the  fauna 
and  lithology  of  the  lower  middle  and  upper  Maquoketa  beds  is  found 
between  the  deposits  of  these  horizons  in  Fayette  County,  Iowa,  and 
those  of  the  Maquoketa,  a  few  miles  further  southeast,  in  Dubuque 
County,  Iowa,  and  in  Jo  Daviess  Count}',  Illinois.  It  seems  certain, 
too,  that  the  basin  in  which  the  Maquoketa  beds  of  Iowa  were  deposited, 
did  not  generally  have  a  broad  connection  with  that  in  which  the  Eich- 
mond  beds  in  southern  Illinois  were  laid  down.  For  this  reason  exact 
correlation  of  horizons  in  the  two  areas  is  difficult. 

In  the  ]\Iaquoketa  beds  of  Fayette  County,^  Iowa,  Rhyacliotrema 
capax  is  found  at  three  successive  horizons.  It  occurs  first  in  the  lower 
^laquoketa  division,  in  beds  of  alternating  shale  and  impure  limestone, 
a  short  distance  above  the  zone  of  Kile  us  rig  Hans  (Xo.  5  of  the  general 
section  on  page  485  of  the  Fayette  County  report).  The  second  ap- 
pearance is  in  the  limestone  or  dolomite  that  constitutes  the  middle 
division  of  the  Maquoketa  beds;  while  the  third  occurrence  is  in  the 
alternating  shale  and  limestone  layers  near  the  top  of  the  upper  Maquo- 
keta division.  Among  the  fossils  associated  with  Ehi/nchotrema  capax 
in  the  first,  or  lowest,  horizon  are  Dinortliis  suhquadrata,  Ilchertella  in- 
sculpta,  Plectorthis  wliitfieldi,  Strophomena  fluduosa  and  S.  rugosa. 
Only  one  of  these  recurs  in  either  of  the  higher  horizons.  The  bulbous 
echinoderm  segments  occur  abundantly  at  Spring  Valley,  Minnesota, 
and  are  also  characteristic  of  the  lower  Richmond  horizon.  Isotehis 
maximits  also  occurs  in  Iowa  only  in  the  lower  division  of  the  Maquo- 
keta. 

Inasmuch  as  the  fossils  Dinortliis  suhquadrata,  Plectorthis  ivhitfieldi, 
Stropliomena  fluctuosa  and  S.  rugosa  are  markers  of  the  lower  Maquo- 
keta in  Fayette  County,  Iowa,  and  since  they  are  not  known  to  occur 
above  the  Fernvale  formation  in  southwestern  Illinois,  or  at  other  local- 
ities in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  the  Fernvale  formation  is  thought  to 
correspond,  in  time,  with  the  lower  Bliynchotrema  capax  horizon  of  the 
Maquoketa  beds  in  Fayette  County,  Iowa. 

The  lithology  of  the  lower  Rhijncliotrema  capax  beds  of  Iowa  is  quite 
different  from  that  of  the  Fernvale  formation  in  southwestern  Illinois. 


'Savage,  T.  E:    Iowa  Geol.  Surv.,  vol.  15,  pp.  4S4-4Sti. 


318  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

The  fossils  named  above  as  characteristic  of  both  these  horizons  have  asso- 
ciates in  each  area  that  are  not  present  in  the  other.  Tliis  would  indi- 
cate that  these  two  marine  areas  were  more  or  less  completely  separated 
during  early  Richmond  time. 

Besides  the  Thebes  localities,  the  Fernvale  formation  is  known  in 
Illinois  from  Monroe  County;  and  this  horizon  has  also  recently  been 
recognized  by  the  writer  about  two  miles  north  of  Millsdale,  at  Wil- 
mington, and  at  other  points  in  Will  and  Kendall  counties. 

The  Richmond  sea  appears  to  have  invaded  the  region  of  Fayette 
and  western  Clayton  counties,  Iowa,  and  of  Will  and  Kendall  counties, 
Illinois,  somewhat  earlier  than  it  submerged  the  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and 
Jo  Daviess  county  areas, -or  the  southwestern  Illinois  basin. 

The  Pod-Fernvalc   Unconforiniiy. 

Succeeding  the  deposition  of  the  Fernvale  limestone  in  this  region, 
there  was  a  movement  which  elevated  the  land  bordering  the  west 
side  of  the  basin,  and  resulted  in  the  withdrawal  of  the  sea  for  a  time 
from  the  area  under  consideration.  The  elevation  of  the  western  land 
mass,  "Ozarkia/'  was  not  extensive  or  high,  and  the  physical  conditions 
were  continued  into  the  succeeding  periods  of  sedimentation,  as  is  indi- 
cated in  the  materials  of  the  Thebes  formation,  which  are  sandstones 
or  very  sandy  shales. 

Ulrich  has  stated  that  during  this  erosion  interval  the  land  suirface 
was  generally  low  over  wide  areas  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  This  is 
shown  by  the  wide  distribution  of  the  uniformly  thin  limestone  of  the 
Fernvale  formation.  However,  there  were  local  inequalities  in  the 
surface  over  this  region,  for  at  some  points  the  Fernvale  limestone  is 
wanting  entirely,  as  locally  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri, 
and  in  Calhoun  County,  Illinois.  In  other  places  the  basal,  shaly  horizon 
of  the  Thebes  formation  which,  near  Thebes,  contains  numerous  trilo- 
bite  remains  was  not  deposited. 

The  Thebes  Sandstone  and  Shale. 

On  the  return  of  the  sea  to  this  region,  and  during  the  deposition  of 
the  Thebes  sandstone,  the  streams  discharged  much  coarse  material  into 
the  basin.  The  sediments  of  this  formation  consist  largely  of  sand, 
although  locally  the  beds  contain  a  small  admixture  of  clay.  In  natural 
exposures  the  rock  is  uniformly  yellowish  to  reddish-brown  in  color. 

Worthen^  designated  this  dark  brown  or  chocolate  colored  sandstone 
and  sandy  shale  the  Thebes  sandstone  and  shale,  because  the  beds  were 
well  developed  and  favorably  exposed  in  the  vicinity  of  Thebes,  in  Alex- 
ander County.  The  formation,  as  defined  by  Worthen,  is  a  lithological 
unit.  It  is  sharply  set  off  by  its  lithology  and  its  fauna,  and  also  by  an 
erosional  unconformity,  from  the  overlying  calcareous  shale,  and  it  is 
separated  in  the  same  manner  from  the  Fernvale  limestone  upon  which 
it  rests.     The  thickness  of  the  formation  is  about  75  feet. 


'Worthen:    Geol.  Survey  of  Til.,  vol.  3  1868,  p.  27,. 


savage]  ?RE-DEV0NIAN   O^   SOUTHERN   ILLlNOlSi.  819 

Distribution. — The  strata  of  this  formation  outcrop  somewliat  inter- 
ruptedly in  the  east  bhiff  of  the  Mississippi  Kiver  for  a  distance  of  six 
miles.  The  lower  portion  may  be  found  along  a  small  stream  in  the  south 
part  of  the  town  of  Thebes.  Beds  of  a  little  higher  horizon  are  well  exposed 
at  the  east  end  of  the  Thebes  bridge,  where  they  form  the  hill  on  which 
the  old  Court  House  stands.  Still  higher  layers  appear  in  the  cut  along 
the  Iron  Mountain  Eailroad,  a  short  distance  east  of  Thebes,  and  they 
also  outcrop  in  the  bed  of  a  small  stream,  near  the  wagon  road,  one-half 
mile  further  east. 

The  uppermost  bed  may  be  favorably  studied  along  the  bank  of  the 
river  and  in  the  cut  along  the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois  Eailroad, 
one-half  mile  south  of  the  village  of  Gale  (PL  34,  A).  This  upper 
portion  of  the  formation  is  again  exposed  in  a  cut  along  the  Iron 
Mountain  Eailroad  a  short  distance  north  of  Gale. 

The  Thebes  sandstone  and  shale  beds  are  exposed  at  the  surface  over 
a  much  larger  area  in  southwestern  Illinois  than  are  those  of  either  the 
Fernvale  or  the  Kimmswick  formations.  The  waters  in  which  its 
materials  were  deposited  probably  washed  the  shores  of  the  Ozarkian 
land  area  a  few  miles  further  west,  which,  during  this  portion  of  Eich- 
mond  time,  was  sufficiently  high  to  furnish  the  coarse  sediments  that 
make  up  these  terrigenous  beds. 

Detailed  section. — These  sandstones  and  beds  of  sandy  shale  contain 
a  meager  fauna.  In  a  narrow  zone  near  the  base  trilobite  fragments 
representing  two  species  are  abundant.  At  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri, 
and  in  Calhoun  County,  Illinois,  tljere  were  also  found  in  this  basal 
zone  pyrite  nodules  containing  small  pelecypod  shells  resembling  species 
of  Ctenodonta.  Throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  thickness  an 
occasional  shell  of  Lingula  covitigtonensis  and  branches  of  Climaco- 
graptus  putillus  are  the  only  fossils  that  were  found.  The  following 
detailed  section  will  show  the  character  of  these  beds,  and  of  their  fauna, 
in  southwest  Illinois. 

Section  of  the  Thebes  sandstone  and  shale  in  the  vicinity  of  Thebes.     Total 
thickness  75  feet,  8  inches. 

S83a  Brown  to  yellow,  very  fine-grained,  sandy  shale,  in  rather  thin  layers 
in  which  fragments  of  trilobites  are  abundant 5  feet 

This  horizon  is  near  the  base  of  the  formation.     It  is  imperfectly  ex- 
posed in  the  south  bank  of  a  stream  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  of 
Thebes.     The  fossils  from  this  horizon  were : 
Glimacograptus  putillus  c,  ^Endymionia  sp.  c, 

Lingula  covingtonensis  r,  Isotelus  sp.  c. 

Conularia  sp.  r, 

S83b  Bed  of  impure,  bluish  sandstone  , reddish-brown  where  weathered, 
in  layers  six  inches  to  three  feet  in  thickness;  exposed  at  the  east  end  of  the 
Thebes  bridge,  no  fossils  found    15   feet,   8   inches 


'Note— This  is  the  characteristic  fossil  of  the  basal  portion  of  the  Thebes  formation.  Billings  described 
the  genus  Endymionia  as  having  6  or  7  thoracic  segments,  while  the  form  in  the  Thebes  formation  has 
only  five.  However,  judging  from  the  figure  given  by  Billings,  his  specimen  was  imperfect.  This  form 
resembles  A  vipyx  in  some  respects,  but  differs  from  that  genus  in  the  shape  of  the  glabella  and  in  the 
absence  of  a  rostrum. 


^^^  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [hull.  no.  16 

^h«Il^^f^.^.;!'^•  ^^'"'^  to  reddish-brown,  fine  grained  sandstone  or  very  sandy 

CUmacograptus  piUillus  r,  Lingula  covingtonensis  "r. 

S83d  Bluish  to  brown,  shaly,  fine-grained  sandstone; somewhat  massive  in 
fresh  exposure,  but  weathering  into  thin  layers.  Seen  along  the  river  and  n 
the  railroad  cut  one-half  mile  south  of  Gale    ...  o?   W 

The  following  fossils  are  sparcely  distributed  throughout  the'  bed  •" 
CUmacograptus  putillvs  r,  Lingula  covingtonensis  v. 

Below  is  given  a  list  of  the  fossils  occurring  in  the  Thebes  sandstone 
and  shale  m  southwestern  Illinois: 
CUmacograptus  putillus  Ruedemann, 
Lingula  covingtonensis  Hall  and  Whitfield 
Conularia  sp. 

Endymionia  sp.  ^^ 

Isotelus  sp.  ■'^^-^- 

6'orre?«^/:on— The  type  locality  for  CUmacograptus  putillus  is  in  the 
lower  Maquoketa  beds  exposed  along  "Maquoketa  Creek'^  in  Dubuque 
County,  Iowa.  This  species  is  also  reported  from  the  same  stratigraphic 
horizon  at  Graf,  Iowa.  It  is  listed  from  the  Utica  shale  of  Cincinnati ; 
and  Euedemanni  also  cites  it  from  the  Utica  shale  of  New  York  and 
Canada.  Lingula  covingtonensis  has  been  reported  from  the  Utica  beds 
of  Kentucky. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and  Scales  Mound,  Illinois,  the 
lower  portion  of  the  Maquoketa  beds  contain  numerous  small  shells  be- 
longing to  species  of  Ctenodonta  and  Cleidophorus.  The  presence  in 
tlie  lower  portion  of  the  Thebes  formation,  both  at  Cape  Girardeau, 
Missouri,  and  m  Calhoun  and  Jersey  counties,  Illinois,  of  small  pyrite 
nodules  containing  many  poorly  preserved  pelecypod  shells  resembling 
Ctenodonta  strongly  suggests  that  the  Thebes  sandstone  mav  represent 
the  southern  phase  of  the  lower  part  of  the  Maquoketa  beds,  as  these 
are  developed  in  Dubuque  County,  Iowa,  and  Jo  Daviess  County,  Illi- 
nois. CUmacograptus  putillm  also  occurs  both  in  the  Thebes  sandstone 
of  southern  Illinois  and  in  tlie  lower  Maquoketa  beds  of  the  Dubuque 
region.  In  the  paleontological  collection  of  the  University  of  Illinois 
there  are  fragments  of  trilohites  belonging  to  the  genus  Isotelus,  labeled 
1)y  Worthen  from  Carroll  County,  Illinois,  which  appear  identical  with 
the  Isotelus  species  occurring  in  the  basal  portion  of  the  Thebes  sand- 
stone. From  the  above  facts  it  is  thought  that  the  Thebes  sandstone  of 
southwestern  Illinois  is  to  be  correlated  with  the  lower  shale  or  sandy 
shale  phase  of  the  Maquoketa  l:)eds  of  Dubuque  County,  Iowa,  and  Jo 
Daviess  County,  Illinois. 

The  Thebes  formation  is  clearly  the  equivalent  of  the  sandy  shale 
overlying  the  Kimmswick  limestone  in  Calhoun  County,  Illinois,  the 
basal  portion  of  which  bears  the  trilobite  Endymionia  sp.,  which  is  the 
characteristic  fossil  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Thebes  formation  at 
Thebes,   the  type  locality.     A   view  of  the   basal,  Endymionia-heRrmg 

iRnedemann:    Graptolites  of  New  York:    N.  Y.  State  Mus.  Memoir  11,  pt.  2, 1908,  p.  416. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  34. 


A.    Exposure  of  Thebes  sandstone  one-half  mile  south  of  Gale.    The  view  is  in  the  upper  part  of  this 

formation. 


B.  View  of  the  lower  layers  of  the  Thebes  sandstone  (Maquoketa)  bearing  the  trilobite  Edymionia  sp., 
exposed  in  the  south  bank  of  Madison  Creek,  in  the  S.  E.  i  sec.  8,  T.  11  S.,  R.  2  W.,  Calhoun  County, 
Illinois. 


SaVageJ  pre- devonian   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  321 

portion  of  the  Thebes  formation  in  Calhoun  County,  is  shown  in  Pkito 
34,  B.  The  Thebes  formation  also  corresponds  with  the  sandy 
shale  bearing  the  same  species  of  Endymionw,  exposed  along  a  stream 
one-half  mile  west  of  Dover  Church,  in  Pike  County,  Missouri.  It  is 
thought  to  correspond  also  with  the  sandy,  Cliinacograirtus-hQaYmg  shale 
exposed  along  the  Chicago,  Eock  Island,  and  Pacific  Railroad,  and  in 
the  w^agon  road,  in  sec.  34  of  Troy  township,  in  AVill  County,  Illinois. 

IVie  Post-Tliehcs  Unconformity. 

The  deposition  of  the  Thebes  sandstone  was  brought  to  a  close  by 
another  oscillation  that  once  more  excluded  the  sea  from  this  immediate 
area.  How  long  land  conditions  prevailed  can  not  be  definitely  stated, 
but  when  the  sea  returned  it  advanced  upon  a  surface  more  or  less 
trenched  by  erosion. 

Evidence  of  a  break  in  sedimentation  appears  in  the  weathered  and 
strongly  iron-stained  surface  of  the  Thebes  sandstone  in  the  old  quarry 
exposure,  near  Gale.  It  is  also  found  in  the  fact  that  the  upper  portion 
of  the  Thebes  sandstone,  in  the  exposures  north  of  Thebes,  is  more 
indurated  and  presents  a  difi^erent  appearance  on  weathering  than  in 
the  outcrops  south  of  Thebes.  It  is  thought  that  the  upper  portion  of 
the  Thebes  formation  at  the  two  localities  represents  somewhat  different 
horizons. 

The  Orchard  Creek  Shale. 

By  the  time  the  sea  returned,  after  the  post-Thebes  land  interval,  the 
bordering  lands  had  been  denuded  to  such  an  extent  that  the  streams 
were  carrying  no  coarse  detritus.  For  a  time  the  waters  were  muddy, 
but  as  sedimentation  progressed  they  gradually  became  clearer,  so  that 
the  proportion  of  calcareous  materials  in  the  strata  gradually  increased 
from  below  upward.  The  name  Orchard  Creek  shale^  was  proposed  for 
the  beds  which  lie  between  the  Thebes  sandstone  below  and  the  Girar- 
deau limestone  above.  The  name  is  taken  from  Orchard  Creek  in 
Alexander  County,  about  two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Thebes,  near 
the  mouth  of  which  stream  the  beds  are  exposed.  They  may  be  studied 
much  more  favorably  in  a  number  of  exposures  north  of  Thebes.  There 
is  no  clear  line  of  unconformitv  between  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  and 
the  overlying  Girardeau  limestone,  but  the  fossils  of  the  limestone  are 
quite  different  from  those  that  occur  in  the  shale.  On  account  of  the 
faunal  differences  these  lower  shaly  beds  are  described  as  a  formation 
separate  from  the  Girardeau  limestone.  Should  further  study  show  that 
sedimentation  was  continuous  from  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  into  the 
Girardeau  limestone,  no  especial  confusion  will  have  been  caused  by 
this  discussion  of  the  lower,  argillaceous  horizon  separate  from  thnt  of 
the  overlying  limestone  member. 


'Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour.  Sci.,  vol.  28,  December,  1909,  p.  515. 

—21  G 


H2'2  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1901).  [bull.  no.  16 

The  Orcliarcl  Creek  formation,  as  defined  above,  lias  a  maxiniuni 
tliickness  of  about  22  feet.  The  beds  consist  of  bands  of  blue  or  bluish- 
gray,  calcareous  shale,  4  to  6  inches  thick,  alternating  with  layers  of 
impure  limestone  having  a  thickness  of  2  to  4  inches. 

Distribution. — The  Orchard  Creek  shale  is  exposed  in  the  abandoned 
quarry  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale.  It  can  be  best  seen  overlying 
the  Thebes  sandstone  along  the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois  Eailroad 
one-half  mile  south  of  Gale,  as  shown  in  Plate  35,  A.  During 
periods  of  low  water  it  is  also  well  exposed  above  the  Thebes  sandstone 
in  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south 
of  Gale.  This  shale  horizon  is  imperfectly  exposed  about  two  miles 
south  of  Thebes,  near  the  mouth  of  Orchard  Creek.  In  all  of  these 
outcrops  the  exposures  are  limited  to  a  few  rods  in  width  along  the  river 
bank,  and  in  the  lower  courses  of  the  tributary  streams. 

Detailed  Section. — Along  the  east  side  of  the  Chicago  and  Eastern 
Illinois  Eailroad,  one-half  mile  south  of  Gale,  the  strata  dip  gently 
southward  so  that  successively  higher  layers  appear  on  following  down 
the  railroad  in  that  direction.  From  the  north  point  of  the  river  bluff, 
south  of  Gale,  the  following  section  appears  above  the  level  of  the 
railroad  track. 

Section  of  strata  exposed  along  the  railroad  one-half  mile  south  of  Oale. 
Total  thickness  53  feet. 

S84a  Thebes  sandstone  and  shale.  Bed  of  brown  or  chocolate  colored  sand- 
stone, bluish  when  unweathered,  containing  a  slight  admixture  of  shale,  in 

layers  six  to  eighteen  inches  thick  23  feet 

Climacograptus  putillus  r,  Lingula  covingtonensis  r. 

A  break  in  sedimentation. 

S84b  Orchard  Creek  shale.  Bed  of  bluish-gray,  impure,  calcareous  shale, 
in  which  thin  bands  of  somewhat  concretionary,  impure  limestone,  one  to  two 
inches  thick,  occur  from  four  to  six  inches  apart.  These  bands  become 
thicker  and  closer  together  in  the  upper  portion 17  feet 

btreptelasma  sp.  r,  Raflnesquina  alternata  r, 

Cyclocystoides  sp.  r, 

Prasopora  sp.  c,  Strophomena  incurvata  r, 

Phylloporina  granistriata  r,  Strophomena  cf.  scofieldi  r, 

Camarotoechia  sp.  c,  Strophomena  cf.  sulcata  c, 

Dalmenella  meeki  r,  Zygospira  recurvirostris  c, 

Dalmanella  sp.  r,  Byssonychia  tenuistriata  r, 

Leptaena  rhonihoidalis  r,  Lyrodesma  cf.  major  r, 

Plectambonites  sericeus  var.  r,  Pterinea  sp.  r, 

Gomulites  tenuistriata  r. 

Calymene  sp.  r, 

Holopea  sp.  r, 

Isotelus  sp.  c, 

Ceratopsis  chambersi  rohusta  r, 

Ceratopsis  sp.  r, 

The  lithologic  change  from  S84a  to  S84b  is  abrupt,  and  the  faunal 
change  is  not  less  marked.  The  fossils  of  this  shale  were  most  abundant 
in  the  calcareous  bands. 


SAVAGE]  PRE- DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  328 

S84c  Girardeau  limestone.  About  ten  rods  south  of  the  outcrop  of  S84b 
there  is  exposed  a  bed  of  dark-colored,  fine-grained,  hard,  brittle  limestone,  of 
concoidal  fracture,  in  layers  one  to  four  inches  thick.  The  layers  are  im- 
perfectly separated  from  one  another  by  thin,  lens-like  intercalations  of 
hard,  shaly  limestone,  the  surfaces  of  which  contain  many  fossils.  At  this 
place  there  is  a  concealed  zone  of  a  few  feet  between  S84b  and  S84c.  .13  feet 

Glyptocrinus  flmbriatus  r,  Platyostoma  niagarensis  immatura  n. 

var.  r, 
Rafinesquina  mesicosta  a, 
^Raflnesquina  delicatula  n.  sp.  r, 

Carnarotoechia  girardeauensis  n.  sp.  c,  cf.  Gyrtodonta  primigenia  r, 
Cyclospira?  sulcocarinata  n.  sp,  Pterinea  girardeauensis  n.  sp, 

Schucherteila  missouriensis  a,  Calymene  sp.  r, 

Cyphaspis  girardeauensis  r. 

The  fossils  collected  from  the  upper  and  the  lower  parts  of  this  lime- 
stone were  kept  separate  in  the  field,  but  one  set  was  found  to  be  practi- 
cally a  duplicate  of  the  other  so  the  bed  is  not  divided  in  this  section. 

The  transition  layers  from  S84b  to  S84c  were  not  seen  at  this  place, 
but  they  appear  in  the  bank  of  the  river  about  20  rods  south  of  the 
outcrop  of  S84c.  At  the  latter  place  the  contact  of  the  Thebes  sand- 
stone with  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  is  also  well  exposed.  The  calcareous 
shale  member  at  this  place  consists  of  blue,  more  or  less  plastic  shale,  in 
which  thin  bands  of  somewhat  concretionary  limestone  appear  4  to  6 
inches  apart,  and  continue  upward  as  in  S84b  of  the  foregoing  section. 
Towards  the  top  of  this  member  the  limestone  bands  become  thicker, 
and  the  separating  partings  of  shale  become  thinner,  so  that  the  bed 
seems  to  pass  gradually  upward  into  the  dense,  brittle  Girardeau  lime- 
stone. Only  the  very  basal  part  of  the  Girardeau  limestone  is  present 
in  the  latter  exposure. 

At  the  abandoned  quarry  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale,  a  thickness 
of  9  feet  of  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  is  exposed  between  the  Thebes  sand- 
stone below  and  the  band  of  Edgewood  limestone  above.  The  Girardeau 
limestone  is  absent  at  this  place.  Thin,  calcareous  layers  occur  3  to  6 
inches  apart,  as  in  the  exposure  last  described,  and  contain  the  following 
fossils : 

Dalmanella  meeki  r, 
Cornulites  tenuistriata  r, 
Isotelus  sp.  c. 

Fauna  of  the  Orchard  Creek  shale. — Below  there  is  given  a  list  of  the 
fossils  collected  from  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  in  southwestern  Illinois: 

Fossils  from  the  Orchard  Creek  shale. 

Streptelasma  cf.  rusticum  Billings, 

Cyclocystoides  sp. 

Phylloporina  granistriata  Ulrich, 

Prasopora  sp. 

Camarotoechia  sp. 

Dalmanella  meeki  Miller, 

Dalmanella  sp. 

Leptaena  rhomhoidalis   (Wilckens), 


^NOTE — The  species  of  fossils  from  the  Girardeau  limestone  and  the  succeeding  Edgewood  formation, 
designated  in  this  paper  as  new,  have  been  described  by  the  writer  in  a  paper  presented  to  the  Paleonto- 
logieal  Society  at  the  meeting  in  Boston,  December,  1909. 


324  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  1G 

Plectamhonites  sericeus  var, 

Rafinesquina  alternata  (Emmons), 

Strophomena  incurvata   (Sheppard), 

Strophomena  cf.  scofleldi  Winchell  and  Schuchert, 

Strophomena  cf,  sulcata  (Verneuil), 

Zygospira  recurvirostris  (Hall), 

Byssonychia  tenuistriata  Ulrich, 

Lyrodesma  sp. 

Lyrodesma  cf.  major  Ulrich, 

Pterinea  sp. 

Cyclonema  sp. 

HoTopea  sp. 

Cornulites  tenuistriata  (Meek  and  Worthen), 

Galymene  sp. 

Isotelus  sp. 

Geratopsis  chamhersi  rohusta  Ulrich, 

Geratopsis  sp. 

From  the  foregoing  list  it  will  be  seen  that,  out  of  twenty-five  species  . 
of  fossils  occurring  in  the  Orchard  Creek  shale,  eleven  are  not  specifically 
identified,  or  are  new.  Of  the  fourteen  remaining  species,  Fliylloporina 
granistriata  and  Corrmlitcs  tenuistriata  were  first  described  from  this 
region,  and  have  not  been  reported  elsewhere,  hence  they  are  of  little 
assistance  in  the  correlation  of  the  beds. 

Of  the  remaining  twelve  species,  five  arc  recurrent  forms  that  were 
present  in  the  Kiramswick  limestone.  Dalmanella  nieeU  and  Stropho- 
mena sulcata  are  Lorraine  species,  while  Strophomena  incurvata  occurs 
in  the  Trenton  rocks  of  New  York  and  Wisconsin  and  also  in  the 
Maquoketa  (Richmond)  beds  of  Fayette  County,  Iowa.  Byssonychia 
tenuisUiata  occurs  in  the  upper  Richmond  beds  in  Minnesota  and 
Indiana.  Geratopsis  chambersi  rohusta  is  also  an  upper  Richmond  form 
in  Minnesota,  Indiana,  and  Ohio. 

The  fauna  does  not  include  the  characteristic  fossils  of  the  Richmond, 
and  it  is  therefore  difficult  to  correlate  this  horizon  with  any  definite 
portion  of  the  Richmond  at  other  points.  However,  it  is  distinctly  a 
late  Ordovician  fauna;  and  the  position  of  the  bed«  above  the  Thebes 
sandstone  and  the  Fernvale  limestone  refers  the  horizon  certainly  to  late 
Richmond  time.  . 

Correlation.— The  Orchard  Creek  formation  is  present,  with  a  similar 
lithological  and  faunal  development,  beneath  the  Edgwood  strata  at 
the  exposure  near  the  village  of  Edgewood,  in  Pike  County,  Missouri. 
The  Girardeau  limestone  is  absent  at  this  place.  North  of  this  Missouri 
locality  the  Orchard  Creek  formation  has  not  been  recognized  m  the 
Mississippi  Valley.  .  . 

The  faunas  of  the  foregoing  Richmond  formations,  comprising  tHe 
Femvale  limestone,  Thebes  sandstone,  and  Orchard  Creek  shale,  are 
clearly  not  those  of  the  Richmond  strata  of  Ohio  and  Indiana.  They 
belong  to  the  Maquoketa  phase  that  is  developed  in  Illinois,  Missouri, 
and  Iowa.  At  some  points  in  the  latter  State,  as  in  Fayette  County, 
there  was  an  incursion  of  the  Ohio  Richmond  fauna  just  before  the  close 
of  the  Maquoketa  period  of  deposition,  these  fossils  characterizing  the 
uppermost  10  to  15  feet  of  the  Maquoketa  strata.     However,  this  Ohio- 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE   35 


Orchard 

Creek 

shale. 


Thebes 
sand- 
stone. 


^v 


^ 

.*«^*^*^ 


^^^tl 


A.    View  showing  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  overlying  the  Thebes  sandstone  appearing  near  the  bottom  of 
the  picture.    The  thin,  calcareous  bands  in  the  Orchard  Creek  shale  are  conspicuous. 


B.    Exposure  of  Girardeau  limestone  2J  miles  south  of  Thebes,  showing  the  dense  and  thin-bedded 

character  of  the  rock. 


SAVAGE] 


PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS. 


825 


Indiana  Kichmond  fauna  did  not  gain  access  to  the  entire  Maquoketa 
basin  of  Iowa,  nor  was  it  present  in  the  closing  stages  of  deposition  of 
the  Kichmond  in  southwestern  Illinois. 

The  Orchard  Creek — Girardeau  Contact. 

At  the  exposure  along  the  river  bank,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south 
of  Gale,  the  Orchard  Creek  formation  appears  to  pass  upward,  without 
a  distinct  break,  into  the  overl3dng  Girardeau  limestone.  Clear  evidence 
of  unconformity  between  these  formations  is  not  shown  in  the  physical 
characters  of  the  rocks.  However,  when  the  fossils  of  tlie  two  formations 
are  compared,  a  sedimentary  break  between  the  Orchard  Creek  shale 
and  the  overlying  Girardeau  limestone  is  thought  to  be  indicated  by  the 
great  difference  in  the  faunas  of  the  respective  beds.  There  is  given 
below  a  comparative  table  of  the  fossils  of  these  two  formations. 

Comparison  of  Girardeau  and  Orchard  Creek  Faunas. 

A  comparison  of  the  Girardeau  and  Orchard  Creek  faunas  is  sliown  in 
the  following  table: 

Comparative  Table  of  the  Faunas  of  the  Girardeau  Limestone  and  Orchard 

Creek  shale. 


Orchard 
Creek  shale. 


Girardeau 
limestone. 


Streptelasma  cf.  rusticum 

Archaeocrinus  sp 

Cyclocystoides  iUinoisensis  M.  and  G 

Cyclocystoides  sp 

G'lyptocrinus  fimbriatus  Shumard 

Glyptocrinus  sp 

Tanaocrinus  of.  typus  W.  and  Sp 

Nematopora  alternata  Ulrich 

Nematopora  delicatula  Ulrich 

Nematopora  fragilis,  Ulrich 

Nematopora  retrorsa,  V  rich 

Phplloporina  granistriata  I  Irich 

Prasopora  sp 

Camarotoechiagirardeauensis  n.  sp 

Cyclospira?  sulcocarinata  n.  sp 

Dalmanella  meeki  Miller 

Dalmanella  girard-eauensis  n.  sp 

Homx)eospira  immatura  n.  sp 

Leptaena  rhomboidalis  ( Wilckens) 

Lingulops  ovata  n.  sp 

Plectambonites  sericeus  var 

Rafinesquina  alternata  (Emmons) 

Raflnesquina  mesicosta  (Shumard) 

Rafinesquina  delicatula  n.  sp 

Schuchertella  missouriensis  (Shumard) 

Strophomena  incurvata  (Sheppard) 

Strophomena  cf.  scofieldi  W.  and  S 

Zygospira recurvirostris  (Hall) 

Cornulites  tenuistriata  (M.  and  W.) 

Tentaculites  incurvus  (Shumard) 

Cyclonema  cancellata  Hall 

Conradella  imbricata  M.  and  W 

Plaiyostoma  niagarensis  immatura  n.  var. 

cf.  Cyrtodonta  primigenia 

Modiolopsis  girardeauensis  n.  sp 

Pterinea  girardeauensis  n.  sp 

Acidaspis  halli  Shumard 

Calymene  sp 

Cyphaspis  girardeauensis  Shumard 

Encrinurus  deltoideus  Shumard 

Proetus  sp 


326  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

The  great  disparity  between  these  faunas  is  brought  out  in  the  above 
table.  Out  of  a  total  of  forty  species,  only  four  are  common  to  the  two 
formations.  One  of  these,  Leptaena  rhonihoidalis,  has  an  exceedingly 
great  vertical  range,  while  the  upward  range  of  Cornulites  tenuistriata 
is  also  considerable.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  Girardeau  forms  could 
hardly  have  developed  out  of  the  Orchard  Creek  fauna.  The  introduc- 
tion of  so  many  new  Silurian  types  in  the  Girardeau  limestone  might 
be  accounted  for  in  three  possible  ways.  If  the  lithologic  change  from 
the  Orchard  Creek  shale  to  the  succeeding  Girardeau  limestone  had 
been  abrupt,  the  difference  in  the  conditions  of  life  in  this  portion  of 
the  basin,  due  to  the  change  in  the  character  of  sedimentation,  might 
account  in  part  for  the  abrupt  change  in  the  fauna.  However,  at  the 
localities  north  of  Thebes,  where  the  Orchard  Creek  fossils  were  col- 
lected, the  transition  from  the  Orchard  Creek  beds  to  the  Girardeau 
limestone  appears  as  a  gradual  one.  The  fact  that  the  two  faunas  are 
so  widely  different  seems  to  preclude  the  assumption  of  a  gradual  and 
continuous  transition  from  the  shale  to  the  limestone. 

If,  at  the  close  of  the  Orchard  Creek  sedimentation,  some  movement 
had  resulted  in  the  letting  down  of  a  barrier  that  was  present  throughout 
the  Orchard .  Creek  time,  the  migration  into  this  area  of  the  new  types 
of  the  Girardeau  fauna,  that  had  developed  in  some  other  place,  might 
have  been  permitted.  However,  if  this  had  occurred  with  the  slight 
change  in  the  character  of  the  sediments  from  the  Orchard  Creek  to 
the  Girardeau  formation,  there  should  be  present  in  the  Girardeau  fauna 
a  much  larger  number  of  the  indigenous  Orchard  Creek  types  mingled 
with  the  new  Girardeau  immigrants.  The  general  absence  of  tho 
Orchard  Creek  forms  from  the  Girardeau  limestone,  and  the  number 
of  new  species  that  are  prophetic  of  the  Silurian  in  this  later  fauna,  are 
considered  strong  evidences  of  a  break  in  sedimentation  between  the 
deposition  of  the  respective  formations,  and  of  the  presence  of  a  dis- 
conformity  at  this  place. 

Silurian". 

alexandrian  series. 

Certain  beds  in  southwestern  Illinois,  for  which  there  seems  to  be  no 
direct  time  equivalent  in  either  the  Ordovician  or  the  Silurian  systems 
as  generally  defined,  more  or  less  completely  bridge  the  interval  between 
the  uppermost  portion  of  the  Richmond  and  the  basal  part  of  the 
Clinton.  For  these  strata  the  time  term  Alexandrian  has  been  proposed,^ 
from  Alexander  Count}^,  Illinois,  where  beds  of  this  character  are  well 
exposed.  It  was  intended  that  the  time  term  Alexandrian,  as  there 
defined,  should  have  the  same  rank  as  the  Cincinnatian  which  it  imme- 
diately follows.  It  embraces  the  period  of  deposition  of  all  of  the  strata 
that  contain  faunas  intermediate  in  character  between  those  of  the 
Richmond  and  those  of  the  Clinton,  and  not  distinctly  those  of  either 
stage. 

'Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour,  of  Sci.,  vol.  25,  pp.  431-443, 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEYONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  327 

The  formations  in  soutlnvost  Illinois  that  can-}'  faunas  that  cannot  be 
properly  referred  either  lo  the  Richmond  below  or  to  the  Clinton  above, 
and  which  are  consequently  referred  to  the  Alexandrian  series,  are  the 
Girardeau  limestone  and  the  Edgewood  formation.  The  faunas  of  these 
formations  are  allied  more  closely  with  those  of  the  Silurian  system 
than  with  those  of  the  Ordovician,  and  hence  a  place  is  made  for  the 
Alexandrian  series  in  the  basal  portion  of  the  Silurian  column. 

Girardeau  Limestone. 

This  formation  was  first  described  from  Missouri  by  Shumard^  in 
1855,  under  the  name  Cape  Girardeau  limestone.  It  was  regarded  by 
him  as  of  Upper  Silurian  age.  Worthen  recognized  the  horizon  in 
southwest  Illinois  and  retained  Shumard's  name  for  the  formation,  but 
considered  it  the  upperm^^ost  member  of  the  Cincinnatian  series  in  this 
portion  of  the  State.  Ulrich^  has  since  amended  the  name  to  Girardeau 
limestone. 

The  rocks  of  this  formation  consist  of  dark  colored,  fine-grained,  hard, 
brittle  limestone,  in  layers  2  to  4  inches  thick.  Thin  lenses  of  more  or 
less  hard,  shaly  limestone  occur  between  the  imperfectly  separated 
layers,  and  locally  contain  numerous  fossils.  The  total  thickness  of 
the  formation  exposed  in  this  region  does  not  exceed  35  feet. 

Distribution. — The  Girardeau  limestone  is  well  exposed  in  the  bed 
of  Orchard  Creek  about  two  miles  south  of  Thebes  (PL  35,  B), 
also  along  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River  for  some  distance  below 
the  mouth  of  this  creek.  Good  exposures  of  the  beds  have  been  made 
south  of  Orchard  Creek  by  recent  cuts  along  the  new  Cairo  and  Thebes 
Railroad.  Xorth  of  Thebes  the  rocks  of  this  formation  were  seen  at 
only  two  points.  One  of  these  was  along  the  railroad  and  the  other  in 
the  bank  of  the  river,  about  one-half  mile  south  of  Gale  and  one  and 
one-half  miles  north  of  Thebes. 

In  the  exposures  north  of  Thebes  the  Girardeau  limestone  had  been 
considerably  eroded  previous  to  the  deposition  of  more  recent  strata,  so 
that  theii*  full  thickness,  as  found  south  of  Thebes,  is  not  present.  The 
limited  distribution  of  the  Girardeau  beds  in  this  basin  is  such  as  to 
suggest  that  their  absence  at  some  points  may  be  due  to  their  having 
been  deposited  in  a  sea,  the  continuity  of  which  was  more  or  less  broken 
by  low,  land  promontories,  rather  than  to  their  widespread  deposition 
and  their  later  general  removal  by  erosion. 

Detailed  Section. — An  excellent  exposure  of  this  limestone,  and  of 
the  overlying  strata,  occurs  in  the  east  bank  of- the  river  about  two  and 
one-half  miles  south  of  Thebes.  A  thickness  of  30  feet  is  here  exposed 
above  the  level  of  the  railroad.  In  its  litholog}-  and  fauna  the  forma- 
tion is  quite  uniform  from  the  bottom  to  the  top,  but  in  the  following 
section  it  is  arbitrarily  separated  into  two  divisions.  At  this  place  a 
local  deformation  has  caused  the  younger  Sexton  Creek  layers  to  dip 
westward  at  an  angle  of  about  23°,  so  that  successively  younger  beds 


»Shiimard,  B.  F.:    1st  and  2d  Annual  Report,  Geol.  Survej',  of  Mo.,  1885,  p.  109. 
-Ulrich:    Mo.  Biir.  of  Geol.  and  Mines,  2d  ser.,  vol.  2, 1904,  p.    Ill 


•^28  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

are  cxpo^iccl  nearer  the  level  of  the  river.  A  section  of  the  beds  seen 
along  the  river  in  the  NE.  1/4  sec.  28,  T.  15  S.,  R.  3  W.,  in  Alexander 
County,  designated  S85,  is  as  follows: 

Section   two   and  one-half  miles  south   of   Thebes.     Total   thickness   J,f)   feet 

1  inch. 

S85a  Dark  colored,  fine-grained,  hard,  brittle  limestone,  in  layers  two  to 
four  inches  thick,  with  lenses  and  thin  partings  of  calcareous  shale  which 
contain  numerous  fossils   ^^g  ^^^^ 

Glyptocrinus  sp.  r,  Cornulites  tenmstriata  c, 

Glyptocrinus  flmhriatus  r,  Tentaculites  incurvus  a 

Tanaocrinus  cf.  typus  r,  Conradella  imbricata  r, 

Nematopora  alternata  c,  Cyclonema  cancellata  c 

Nematopora  delicatula  c,  Platyostoma   niagarensis    immatura  n 

Nematopora  fragilis  c,  var.  r, 

Nematopora  retrorsa  c,  Cyrtodonta  primigenia?  c 

Camarotoechia  girardeauensis  n.  sp.  cPterinea  girardeauensis  n    sp    r 

Cyclospiraf  sulcocarinata  n.  sp,  Acidaspis  halli  c,  '     ' 

Dalmanella  girardeauensis  n.  sp,  Calymene  sp.  r, 

Homoeospira  immatura  n.  sp.  c,  Gyphaspis  girardeauensis  r, 

Leptaena  rhomboldalis  r,  Encrinurus  deltoidcus  r, 

Lingulops  ovata  n.  sp.  c,  Encrinurus  sp.  c, 

Raflnesquina  mesicosta  a, 

Raflnesquina  delicatula  n.  sp.  c, 

Schuchertella  missouriensis  a, 

Zygospira  recurvirostris  r, 

S85b    Dark   colored,   fine  grained,   hard,   brittle   limestone    breaking   with 

conchoidal  fracture.     Similar  in  all  respects  to  S85a I5  feet 

Archaeocrinus  sp.  r,  Cornulites  tenuistriata  c, 

Glyptocrinus  flmbriatus  r,  Platyostoma    niaqarensis    immatura  n 

Tanaocrinus  sp.  r,  var.  r, 

Nematopora  delicatula  c,  Cyrtodonta  primigenia  r, 

Nemotopcra  fragilis  c,  Acidaspis  halli  r, 

Nematopora  retrorsa  c,  Calymene  sp.  r, 

Camarotoechia  girardeauensis  n.  sp.  c,  Cyphaspis  girardeauensis  r 

Ragnesquina  mesicosta  a, 

Raflnesquina  delicatula  n.  sp.  c, 

Schuchertella  missouriensis  a, 

Long   break   in   deposition. 

S85c  Bed  composed  of  chert  bands,  two  to  four  inches  thick,  separated 
by  two-  to  three-inch  layers  of  hard,  impure  limestone,  without  fossils.  The 
base  of  this  member  is  separated  from  S85b  by  an  unconformity,  5  feet  6  in. 

S85d.  Light  gray,  rather  fine-grained  limestone,  with  blotches  of  green 
shaly  material,  containing  many  nodules  of  chert 1  foot  5  inches 

Favosites  favosiis  r,  Plectambonites  transversalis  r, 

Halysites  catenulatus  r,  Stricklandinia  triplesiana  c, 

Streptelasma  sp.  r,  Triplecia  ortoni  var.  r, 

Clathrodictyon  vesiculosum.  v,    .  lUaenus  cf.  daytonensis  r. 

Orthis  cf.  davidsoni  r, 


SWAGEJ  PRE- DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  329 

S8oe   Reddish  colored,  mottled  limestone,  very  fine  grained,  in  layers  eight 

to  twenty-eight  inches  thick,  surfaces  very  rough 3  feet,  6  inches 

Plestamhonites  transversalis  elegantula  c. 

S85f   Single  layer  of  fine-grained,  pink,  brittle  limestone.  . .  .1  foot  4  inches 
Dalmanella  elegantula  parva  c, 
Hehertella  sp.  r, 
Illaenus  sp.  r, 
Phacops  pulcliellus  r, 
Orthoceras  unionensis  c, 
Orthoceras  sp.  c. 

S85g    Bed   of  fine-grained,   pink   to   mottled   limestone,   in   layers  eight  to 
thirty-six  inches  thick  which  are  imperfectly  separated.   Exposed  about  4  feet 
Plectamhonites  transversalis  elegantula  c. 
Bumastus  sp,  r. 

In  the  foregoing,  sections  S85a  and  S85b  represent  the  Girardeau 
limestone.  The  succeeding  beds  represent  the  Sexton  Creek  limestone 
of  the  Clinton  group,  later  to  be  described.  The  Edgewood  strata  which, 
north  of  Thebes,  occur  below  the  Sexton  Creek  beds,  are  not  present  at 
this  localit}'.  A  long  land  period  intervened  between  the  deposition  of 
the  upper  portion  of  S85b  and  the  lower  part  of  S8oc.  South  of  this 
point  the  Girardeau  limestone  is  exposed  at  frequent  intervals  as  far 
as  the  powder  plant,  a  short  distance  north  of  the  old  town  of  Santa  Fe 
(Faeville).  In  this  southern  portion  of  its  outcrop  this  limestone  is  in 
places  succeeded  by  the  Sexton  Creek  strata,  and  at  other  points  it  is 
unconformably  overlain  by  sands  and  clays  of  Tertiary  age  as  shown 
in  Plate  36,  A.  ^ 

The  Girardeau  limestone  exposed  north  of  Thebes  has  been  described 
on  a  preceding  page  as  member  "c"  of  section  84.  It  is  similar  in 
lithology  to  this  limestone  in  the  foregoing  section.  Its  fossils,  also,  are 
such  as  occur  in  the  more  southern  exposures  of  the  Girardeau  lime- 
stone. The  fossils  of  this  limestone  found  in  southwestern  Illinois  are 
listed  in  a  comparative  table  with  those  of  the  Orchard  Creek  shale,  near 
the  end  of  the  discussion  of  that  formation. 

Of  the  fossils  from  the  Girardeau  limestone,  Nematopora  alternata 
Ulrich,  N.  fragilis  Ulrich  and  N.  retrorsa  Ulrich  are  known  only  from 
this  formation  (not  the  Trenton  as  reported)  in  Alexander  County, 
Illinois.  Nickles  and  Bassler  list  eleven  species  of  this  genus,  exclusive 
of  the  forms  occurring  in  the  Girardeau  limestone.  All  but  three  of 
these  species  are  reported  from  Silurian  strata,  and  five  of  them  occur 
in  the  Anticosti  beds.  Hence  the  genus  Nematopora  is  much  more 
characteristic  of  the  early  Silurian  time  than  of  the  Richmond. 

Of  the  ten  species  and  varieties  of  brachiopods  in  the  Girardeau  fauna, 
seven  have  only  recently  been  described,  and  are  known  only  from  this 
region.  Of  the  five  older  species,  Leptaena  rliomhoidalis  has  no  strati- 
graphic  value,  Bafinesquina  niesicosta  is  known  only  from  the  Girardeau 
limestone  and  the  overlying  beds  in  this  vicinity.  Schuchertella  mis- 
souriensis  is  indicative  of  the  Silurian. 

Of  the  other  genera  Homoeospira  is  distinctively  Silurian.  Camaro- 
toechia  is  especially  characteristic  of  the  Silurian  and  later  time,  only 


380  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

a  single  species  having  been  described  from  the  Ordovician.  Lingulops 
is  represented  by  a  species  both  in  the  Silurian  and  the  Cincinnatian. 
Zygospira  ranges  from  the  Ordovician  into  the  early  Silurian. 

The  gastropods  Cyclonema  cancellata  and  Platyostoma  niagarensis 
are  both  Silurian  forms  which  are  unknown  in  the  Ordovician.  All  of 
the  identified  species  of  trilobites  in  the  foregoing  list  were  described 
by  Shumard  from  the  Girardeau  limestone  in  Missouri,  and  have  not 
been  reported  from  any  other  horizon.  Their  general  development 
aspect  is  more  Silurian  than  Richmond. 

The  Girardeau  an  Early  Silurian  Fauna. — In  the  fauna  of  the  Girar- 
deau limestone,  listed  above,  there  is  a  decided  Silurian  facies.  The 
genera  Homocospira,  S clinch ertella  and  Platyostoma  are  not  recognized 
as  Ordovician  types.  Four  of  the  Girardeau  species  were  also  present  in 
the  Orchard  Creek  shales,  but  with  them  there  also  occurred  a  number 
of  recurrent  earlier  forms.  By  the  time  the  Girardeau  limestone  was 
laid  down  those  older  species  had  disappeared,  and  they  do  not  recur 
again.  With  the  exception  of  Zygospira  recnrvirostris,  and  possibly  the 
Crinoids,  not  a  single  sp6cies  that  could  be  considered  a  marker  of  the 
Richmond,  or  earlier  Ordovician,  appears  in  the  rocks  of  the  Girardeau 
formation. 

The  important  facts  in  this  connection  are :  first,  that  the  new  Silurian 
types  had  already  been  developed  prior  to  the  deposition  of  the  Girardeau 
beds;  and,  second,  that  the  diastrophic  movements  had  already  occurred 
which  permitted  the  migTation  of  these  Silurian  forms  into  this  basin 
when  the  Girardeau  sediments  were  deposited. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  presence  of  Silurian  types  in  the  fauna  of 
the  Girardeau  limestone  is  of  much  greater  significance  than  the  linger- 
ing of  a  few  Richmond  forms.  It  is  easy  to  understand  how  a  few  specie:^ 
of  one  age  could  persist,  or  recur  in  a  succeeding  formation,  even  across 
a  considerable  unconformity,  but  the  introduction  of  types  characteristic 
of  a  later  system  would  indicate  that  the  physical  conditions  which  de- 
termined their  development  had  occurred  previous  to  the  deposition  of 
the  sediment  in  which  those  newer  types  were  entombed. 

Although  the  Girardeau  fauna  shows  marked  Silurian  characters,  it 
cannot  be  assigned  to  any  recognized  horizon  in  the  Clinton.  The  Sexton 
Creek  beds,  which  here  succeed  the  Edgewood  formation  overlying  the 
Girardeau,  are  thought  to  represent  a  Clinton  horizon  as  low,  as  any 
previously  described. 

It  seems  most  conducive  to  a  clear  statement  of  the  existing  facts  to 
i-efer  the  Girardeau  formation  to  a  distinct  time  interval,  as  the  Alex- 
andrian, by  which  the  post-Richmond  and  the  pre-Clinton  age  of  the 
beds  is  clearly  recognized. 

Correlaiion.  of  the  Girardeau.  Limestone. — The  Girardeau  limestone  is 
present  over  a  considerable  area  in  Alexander  County,  Illinois,  and  Cape 
Girardeau  County,  Missouri.  Outside  of  this  general  region  it  has  not 
been  recognized  hy  the  writer,  nor  has  it  been  reported  by  workers  in 
other  states. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  36. 


A.  Exposure  of  the  Edgewood  beds  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Gale.  The  basal  layer  is  marked  "  A" 
in  the  picture.  The  heavy  layer,  marked  "B,"  is  the  Whitfleldella  hillingsana  horizon.  Dalmanites 
danae  occurs  in  the  shaly  zone  below  "  B." 


Exposure  in  Sec.  8,  T.  15  S.,  R.  3  W.,  in  Alexander  County,  showing  the  Girardeau  limestone.uncon- 
formably  overlain  with  deposits  of  Tertiary  age.j;^ 


SAva,;e1  PRE-DEVONIAN   OP    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  331 

The  Posi-Girardeau  Unconformity. 
After  the  deposition  of  the  Girardeau  limestone  there  succeeded  in 
his  region  anotlier  short  interval  of  land  conditions.     LooaUy   at  leas 

t  wn?  ''  °//'l  f'''"^'"'  ^'"^^  «"ff«^"^  considerable  Boston  before 
t  was  covered  by  later  sediments.  Such  an  erosion  interval  is  indicated 
m  an  exposure  along  the  river  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of 
Gale.  Here  the  strata  which  m  this  region  are  next  younger  than  the 
Girardeau  beds  rest  upon  the  very  basal  part  of  the  Girardeau  Hme 
stone  ess  than  three  feet  above  the  top  of 'the  Orchard  fteekshal 
a  hat  a  considerable  thickness  of  the  Girardeau  formation  was  nre 

oX  20  i^r  no'tf  t  '"  ''''''  "  *i°""  ™  ''''  ''''  tJ^^t  at  a  distance'  0 
only  30  lods  north  there  is  exposed  a  thickness  of  13  feet  of  the  Girar 

tnlZ'^'T]  '^T''^''^  ''  ^'*"  M^^^^^  °f  thi«  limestone  5  0  8 
feet  thick,  which  also  appear  to  be  in  place  may  be  seen  in  the  riVer  bank 
a  few  rods  south  of  the  exposure  cited  in  the  preceding  parajraph 

The  Edge-wood  Formation. 
The  Edgewood  formation,  as  here  defined,  embraces  the  beds  in  this 
region  lying  above  the  Girardeau  limestone  and  below  the  Clinton     The 
name  was  proposed'    rom  the  village  of  Edgewood,  in  Pike  Connh  Mi^ 
souri,  near  which  place  the  rocks  of  this  formation  are  exposed    am 
where  the  true  position  of  the  beds  was  first  recognized  '       ' 

.It   ephe  tebL^S'  STI^S^Z^^  Ss    I  tt  ^ 

tbe^SriinS^^^^^^ 

"rXr*it  w  /"*f M    'Y  f^T'  °'  '"^^  Edgewood  fonnation  S 
f»ni         ",^f  Probably  also  local  and  of  small  extent.     The  bordering 

hSv  Wstl  ""Vb"  ''1  '".^^^'-^'^^'y  «!-"■;  »cl  the  deposes  wef 
middYenfTT'     The   culmination   of   the   movement   was   near  the 

hale  Tn  +^  f!t'  "'  '"^'Vr^  ^''"'■^  ^'''  I'^id  down  layers  of  impure 
shale.     In  the  latter  part  of  the  period  the  waters  again  cleared  and 

fi'S/^'^^7"^  l^  '''^\r  ^^*''"*  *'->*'  '^  the  last,^an  accumultion 
ot  oolite  formed  m  the  shallow  sea. 

The  best  exposure  of  the  Edgewood  strata  is  in  the  river  bank  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Gale.  At  this  locality  the  width  of  e;posure 
of  the  lower  layers  is  about  6  rods,  while  the  upper  layers  outcrorZos' 
continuously  for  a  distance  of  15  rods.     (PI    36    B)  °P  '^'™''^-' 

Detailed  sections.-A  section  of  the  entire  series  of  strata  exposed  in 
he  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River  at  the  locality  mentioned  n  the 
foregoing  paragraph  is  as  follows: 

■Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour,  ot  Science,  vol.  28,  December,  1909,  p.  .517. 


332  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Section  of  strata  three-fourths  of  a    mile    south    of    Gale.     Total    thickness 

12  feet  2  inches. 

S79a  Thebes  sandstone  and  shale:    Bed  of  brown,  chocolate-colored?  rather 

fine-grained  sandstone,  which  weathers  into  thin,  flag-like  layers 40  feet 

Climacograptus  piitillus  r,  Lingula  covingtonensis  r, 

A  break  in  sedimentation. 

S79b.     Orchard    Creek    shale:     Bluish-gray,    calcareous    shale,    containing 
one-  to  two-inch  bands  of  shaly,  concretionary  limestone,  four  to  six  inches 
apart.     Fossils  similar  to  those  of  S84b  listed  on  a  preceding  page..  18  feet 
Probable  break  in  deposition. 

S79c  Girardeau  formation:  Hard,  fine-grained,  brittle,  dark-colored 
limestone,  with  fossils  characteristic  of  the  Girardeau  formation. 2  ft  6  inches 

A  break  in  deposition. 

S79d  Layer  of  conglomerate  consisting  of  fragments  of  the  Girardeau 
limestone,  from  two  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  embedded  in  a  matrix  of 
fine-grained  material.  At  some  points  this  member  appears  to  be  composed 
of  calcareous  concretions  surrounded  by  softer,  bluish-gray  shale.. 2  ft.  6  in. 

S79e  Layer  of  rather  hard  limestone,  having  a  two-inch  band  of  chert 
at  the  top.     No  fossils  found   8  inches 

S79f  Layer  of  somewhat  fissile,  fine-grained,  argillaceous  limestone,  con- 
taining few  fossils   1  foot  6  inches 

S79g    Rather  soft,  gray  shale,  without  fossils   1  foot  6  inches. 

S79h  Bed  composed  of  two  layers  of  dark  gray,  argillaceous  limestone 
or  calcareous  shale,  each  about  six  inches  thick,  separated  by  a  two-inch 
parting  of  softer  shale.  The  calcareous  layers  contain  many  fossils.  .1  ft.  2  in 
Clorinda  thebesensis  n.  sp.  r,  Bellerophon  sp.  r, 

Raflnesquina  mesicosta  r,  Dahnanites  danae  c, 

Schuchertella  propinqua  c,  Dalmanites  sp.  r. 

S79i     Band  of  rather  soft,  gray  shale,  without  fossils...!  foot  two  inches 

S79j     Heavy    ledge    of   gray,    coarsely    granular    limestone,    oolitic    in    the 

upper  part,  containing  many  fossils  3  feet,  6  inches 

Plasmopora  thehesensis  c,  Schuchertella  propinqua  r, 

Zaphrentis  stokesi  c,  Spirifer  sp.  r, 

Glathrodictyon  vesiculosum  c,  Whitfieldella  billing sana  a. 

Atrypa  (Zygospira)  putilla  c,  tierinea  thehesensis  r, 

Atrypa  rugosa  r,  Lophospira  edgewoodensis  n.  sp.  c, 

Clorinda  thehesensis  n.  sp.  c,  Cyphaspis  sp, 

cf.  Gypidula  simplex,  Dalmanites  sp.  r, 

Leptaena  rhomboidalis  c,  Metapolichas   breviceps  clintonensis  g 

Rhynchotreta  thebesensis  c,  Phacops  pulchellus  c, 

Proetus  determinatus  c, 
Krausella  anticostiensis  r. 

In  the  foregoing  section  S79d  to  S79j,  inclusive,  constitute  the  Edge- 
wood  formation  as  developed  in  southwest  Illinois.  The  oolitic  character 
of  the  uppermost  member  is  evidence  of  the  shallowing  of  the  water  at 
this  place  in  late  Edgewood  time. 

The  only  other  exposure  of  the  Edgwood  formation,  seen  in  this  region, 
is  in  an  abandoned  quarry,  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale,  in  the 
NE.  14  sec.  4,  T.  15  S.,  E.  3  W.  A  section  of  the  strata  exposed  at 
this  place,  designated  S80,  is  given  below: 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  333 

Section  of  beds  in  the  abandoned  quarry  southeast  of  Gale.     Total  thickness 

31  feet  4  inches. 

S80a  Thebes  sandstone:  Bed  of  brown,  fine-grained,  slightly  shaly  sand- 
stone, at  the  top  of  which  is  a  hard  , deeply  iron-stained  zone  6  feet 

A  break  in  deposition. 

S80b  Orchard  Creek  shale:  Bed  of  bluish-gray,  calcareous  shale,  having 
one-  to  two-inch  bands  of  impure  concretionary  limestone,  four  to  six 
inches   apart    9    feet 

S80c  Band  of  deep  red  i-esidual  clay  indicating  a  break  in  sedimenta- 
tion       3  inches 

SSOd  Edgewood  formation:  Layer  of  dark  gray,  somewhat  oolitic  lime- 
stone, containing  small  pebbles  of  chert,  from  one-fourth  to  four  inches  in 

diameter  10  inches 

Atrypa  marginalis  c, 
Heliolitesf  edgewoodensis  n.  sp,  Atrypa  (Zygospira?)  putilla  c, 

Plasmopora  theuesensis  c,  Rynchonellaf  janea  c, 

Zaphrentis  stokesi  c,  Rhynchotreta  cf.  cuneata  var.  c. 

S80e  Band  of  red  colored,  residual  clay  and  small  chert  fragments,  in- 
dicating a  break  in  sedimentation   2  inches 

SSOf  Sexton  Creek  formation:  Bed  of  hard,  gray  limestone,  in  layers 
four  to  eight  inches  thick,  which  are  separated  by  two-  to  three-inch  chert 

bands    11    feet 

Atrypa  marginalis  c,  Leptaena  rhomboidalis  r, 

SSOg  Residual  cherts  and  red  clay,  underlying  surficial  materials.  .2  to  5  ft 

In  the  above  section  (PL  37,  A)  the  single  la3^er  SSOd  represents  the 
total  thickness  of  the  Edgewood  formation  at  this  place.  It  is  partially 
oolitic,  and  contains  a  larger  number  of  corals  than  do  the  layers  of  the 
Edgewood  in  the  exposure  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Gale.  It 
probably  represents  a  horizon  a  little  higher  than  that  of  S79j,  in  the 
section  at  the  latter  locality.  Concerning  the  geological  -position  of  the 
layers  containing  Schiicliertella  propinqua  and  Delmanites  danae  (mem- 
ber h  of  sec.  S79)  Foerste  says  :^ 

"These  species  of  Dalmanites,  Schuchertella,  etc.,  suggest  later  age  than  the 
Clinton  of  Ohio,  so  that  the  overlying  fauna  {Rhynchotreta  thebesensis, 
Whitfteldella  bilUngsana,  Pterinea  thebesensis,  Lophospira,  sp.  and  Lichas 
sp.,  from  member  j  of  section  S79)  may  be  regarded  as  of  later  than  Clinton 
age,  but  with  a  recurrence  of  some  species  elsewhere  known  in  the  Clinton." 

However,  the  stratigraphical  relations  of  the  Edgewood  beds  in  this 
region,  overlying  the  Girardeau  limestone  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south 
of  Gale,  and  underlying  the  Sexton  Creek  (Clinton)  strata  at  the 
abandoned  quarry  exposure  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale,  clearly 
determines  the  age  of  the  Edgew^ood  formation  as  older  than  the  Sexton 
Creek,   (Clinton),  and  younger  than  the  Girardeau. 

The  Edgewood  sediments  were  doubtless  laid  down  upon  an  uneven 
floor  in  an  advancing  sea  that  submerged  the  locality  further  south 
earlier  than  it  covered  the  place  of  the  abandoned  quarry  exposure,  one- 
fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale. 


'Foerste,  Aug.  F.:    Fossils  from  the  Silurian  Formations  of  Tennessee,  Indiana  and  Illinois.       Bull. 
Denison  University,  p,  95,  April  1909. 


384 


YEAR-BOOK    FOE    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


The  Edgewood  fauna  consists  for  the  most  part  of  migrants  whicli 
came  into  the  region  for  the  first  time  with  the  northward  advance  of 
the  Edgewood  sea.  The  coral  element  is  almost  entirely  new,  while  the 
crinoids  of  the  Girardean  are  absent.  The  trilobites  also  represent  a 
new  invasion,  since  none  of  the  Girardeau  types  appear  in  this  fauna. 
The  larger  number  of  the  brachiopods  are  also  new. 

Correlation. — The  Edgewood  strata  in  southwestern  Illinois  are 
thought  to  correspond  in  age  with  the  beds  containing  similar  fossils 
occurring  near  the  village  of  Edgwood,  in  Pike  County,  Missouri.  The 
general  agreement  in  the  faunas  of  the  respective  beds  in  the  two 
localities  may  be  seen  from  the  following  comparative  table.  In  this 
table  a  cross  in  column  1,  to  the  right  of  the  name,  indicates  that  the 
species  was  found  in  the  Missouri  locality,  while  a  corresponding  cross 
in  column  No.  2  indicates  the  occurrence  of  that  species  in  the  Edgewood 
beds  of  Alexander  County,  Illinois. 

Table  of  fossils  from  the  Edgewood  formation. 


Heliolites  f  edgewoodensis  n.  sp 

Plasmopora  thebesensis  (Fosrste) 

Zaphrentis  stokesi  Edwards  and  Haime 

Clathrodictyon  vesiculosum  Nicholson  and  Murie. 

Atrypa  marginalis  (Dalman) 

Atrypa  (Zygospira?)  putilla  (Hall  and  Clarke). . . 

Atrypa  rugosaa.aiX\ 

cf.  Gypidula  simplex  (Foerste) 

Dalmanella  elegantula  edgewoodensis  n.  var 

Leptaena  rhoniboidalis  ( Wilckens) 

Rafinesquina  mesicosta  (Shumard) 

RhynchonelM  ianea  Billings 

Rhynchotreta  ef .  cuneata  var 

Rhynchotreta  thebesensis  Foerste 

Schuchertella  propinqua  (Meek  and  Worthen) 
Spirif 


fer  sp. 


^ptn 

Whiifieldella  billing  Sana  (M.  and  W.). 

Bellerophon  sp 

Lophospira  edgewoodensis  n.  sp 

Pterinea  thebesensis  Meek  and  Worthen . . . 

Cyphaspis  sp 

Dalmanites  danae  Meek  and  Worthen 

Dalmanites  sp 

Metapolichas  breviceps  clintonensis  Foerste. 

Phacops  pulchellus  Foerste 

Proetus  determinatus  Foerste 

Krausella  anticostiensis  (Jones) 


The  presence  of  the  more  characteristic  fossils  of  the  Edgewood  forma- 
tion in  both  the  Illinois  and  the  Missouri  localities  leave  little  doubt 
concerning  the  safe  correlation  of  the  beds  at  these  points.  The  cor- 
respondence between  the  faunas  would  doubtless  appear  much  closer  if 
the  Edgewood  strata  in  Missouri  had  been  worked  as  thoroughly  as  have 
the  corresponding  beds  in  Illinois.  The  strata  in  the  two  localities  are 
thought  to  represent  contemporaneous  deposition  in  a  sea  that  connected 
these  areas  southward  with  the  Mexican  Gulf  region  in  the  early  Silurian 
time. 

The  Channahon  limestone. — In  the  south  bank  of  the  Des  Plaines 
Eiver,  about  one  mile  west  of  the  Channahon  bridge  and  nearly  the 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


BULL.  NO.  16,  PLATE  37 


Sexton 

Creek 

limestone. 


Edgewood 
formation. 


Orchard 
Creek 
hale. 


A.  View  in  the  abandoned  quarry  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale,  Alexander  County,  Illinois  There 
are  shown  here  two  long  breaks  in  sedimentation  indicated  by  bands  of  red,  residual  clay  at  the  zones 
where  the  hammers  are  seen. 


B.  Ledge  of  Sexton  Creek  (Clinton)  limestone  in  the  east  bluff  of  the  river  1^  miles  east  of  McClure 
The  thin-bedded,  cherty  layers  appear  in  the  lower  part,  while  the  top  of  the  ledge  in  the  picture  shows 
the  thick-bedded,  pink  limestone,  which  is  the  upper  member  of  this  formation. 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN    OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  B35 

same  distance  southeast  of  the  village  of  Channahon,  in  Will  County, 
Illinois,  there  are  exposed  about  4  feet  of  dark  gray,  argillaceous  lime- 
stone overlying  5  or  6  feet  of  somewhat  sandy,  finely  laminated  shale. 
The  upper  limestone  member  at  this  place  carries  a  very  interesting 
assemblage  of  fossils.  While  many  of  the  species  are  not  specifically 
identical  with  forms  occurring  in  the  Edgewood  formation  of  Alexander 
County,  yet  almost  every  one  of  them  has  a  very  close  counterpart  in 
that  fauna.  This  will  appear  in  the  following  comparative  list  of  the 
species : 

Comparative  list  of  fossils. 

Fossils  from  the  limestone  exposed  Fossils  from  the  Edgewood  forma- 
along  the  Desplaines  river,  near  Chan-  tion,  in  Alexander  County,  corres- 
nahon,  Illinois:  ponding  closely  with  the  Channahon 

species: 
Zaphrentis  stokesif  ZapTirentis  stokesi, 

Atrypa  cf.  putilla,  Atrypa  putilla, 

Dalmanella  elegantula,  Dalmanella   elegantuta   edgewoodensis 

n.  var, 
Chypidula  simplex,  cf.  Gypidula  simplex, 

Leptaena  rhomhoidalis,  Leptaena  rhomhoidalis      , 

Rhynchotreta  intermedia  n.  sp,  Rhynchotreta  thebesensis, 

Schuchertella  curvistriata  n.  sp,  Schuchertella  propinqua, 

W hitfieldella  acuminata  n.  sp,  Whitfleldella  HlUngsana. 

Pterinea  elegantula  n.  sp.  Pterinea  thebesensis, 

Holopea  illinoisensis  n.  sp. 

Gyphaspis  intermedia,  Cyphaspis  sp, 

Metapolichas  ferrisi,  Metapolichas  breviceps  clintonensis, 

Proetus  channahonensis,  Proetus  determinatus. 

While  the  specific  correspondence  of  the  fossil  species  in  the  two  areas 
is  not  identical,  yet  the  differences  between  the  species  compared  are 
small.  The  fauna  from  the  Channahon  locality  is  more  closely  related 
to  that  of  the  Edgewood  formation  in  Alexander  County,  Illinois,  than 
to  any  other  known  fauna. 

It  is  thought  that  the  strata  in  the  two  areas  represent  about  the  same 
general  period  of  deposition;  and  that  the  differences  in  the  specific 
characters  of  the  forms  above  compared  are  largely  due  to  local  differ- 
ences in  the  marine  environments  of  the  faunas  in  the  respective  regions. 

Whether  the  sea  in  which  the  Channahon  limestone  accumulated  was 
connected  southward  with  the  Pike  County,  Missouri,  and  Alexander 
County,  Illinois,  basin,  or  whether  it  had  a  northern  connection  as  did 
the  sea  in  which  the  overlying  Niagara  limestone  was  deposited,  cannot 
be  determined  until  other  exposures  of  these  early  Silurian  beds  are 
discovered,  and  their  faunal  relations  are  better  known.  The  latter 
assumption,  however,  is  thought  to  be  the  more  probable. 

The  Post-Edgewood  Unconformity. 

Closing  the  deposition  of  the  Edgewood  beds  there  was  a  movement 
that  brought  this  immediate  region  above  the  sea.  Before  the  waters 
again  returned  to  this  region  all  of  the  Edgewood  beds  in  southwest 
Illinois  had  been  swept  away,  as  far  as  is  known,  except  the  two  small 
areas  described  above.  At  certain  points  the  Girardeau  limestone  also 
was  largely  or  entirely  removed. 


336  year-book  for  1909.  [bull.  no.  le 

To  what  extent  the  Edgewood  strata  may  be  present  between  the 
Thebes  region  and  the  Pike  County,  Missouri,  and  the  Will  County, 
Illinois,  localities,  but  concealed  beneath  later  deposits,  is  not  fully 
known.  However,  at  a  number  of  places  in  Illinois  there  occur  good 
exposures  of  the  contact  of  the  Ordovician-Silurian  beds  in  which  no 
Edgewood  strata  are  present.  It  seems  certain  that  these  pre-Clinton 
strata  of  the  Silurian  were  not  laid  down  over  a  very  wide  basin,  and 
that  they  were  quite  generally  denuded  from  this  belt  of  deposition 
prior  to  the  laying  down  of  the  later  sediments. 

A  break  in  sedimentation  between  the  Edgewood  formation  and  the 
overlying  Clinton  is  clearly  indicated  in  the  band  of  red  residual  clay, 
S83e  of  section,  w^hich  appears  between  the  Edgewood  and  the  Clinton 
limestone  in  the  abandoned  quarry  of  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of  Gale. 

The  strata  that  were  next  laid  down,  after  the  post-Edgewood  land 
interval,  belong  to  the  Clinton  group  of  the  Silurian  system.  They 
immediately  succeed  the  Edgewood  beds  in  the  abandoned  quarry 
exposure  southeast  of  Gale,  and  doubtless  also  in  the  exposure  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  the  same  town,  although  the  contact  at  the 
latter  place  can  not  be  seen.  Further  north,  in  Alexander  County,  beds 
of  Clinton  age  rest  upon  the  basal  portion  of  the  Orchard  Creek  fonna- 
tion,  or  upon  the  Thebes  sandstone;  while  two  and  one-half  miles  south 
of  Thebes,  Clinton  strata  overlie  the  hard,  brittle  limestone  of  tlie  Girar- 
deau formation,  as  shown  in  section  S85  on  a  preceding  page. 

NIAGARAS    SERIES. 

The  Sexton  Greek  Formation. 

The  rocks  that  represent  normal  upper  Silurian  deposits  in  this  por- 
tion of  Illinois  belong  to  the  Clinton  stage.  The  name  Sexton  Creek 
formation  has  been  proposed^  to  include  all  of  the  strata  in  this  part  of 
the  Mississippi  Valley  that  belong  to  the  Clinton  group.  The  name  is 
taken  from  Sexton  Creek,  one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Gale  in 
Alexander  County,  along  which  stream  these  beds  are  well  exposed. 

Ulrich  has  proposed  the  name  Bainbridge  limestone^  to  embrace  all 
of  the  Silurian  limestones  appearing  in  the  river  bluffs  for  some  miles 
above  and  below  Bainbridge,  in  Missouri.  He  states  that  this  limestone 
also  occurs  above  and  below  Thebes,,  in  Illinois;  and  tliat  it  is  nearly 
the  equivalent  of  the  Clifton  limestone  of  Tennessee.  The  present 
studies  have  shown  that  the  Silurian  limestones  that  occur  above  and 
below  Thebes  are  of  Clinton  age  or  earlier ;  and  that  tliey  are  not  nearly 
the  equivalent  of  the  Clifton  limestone  of  Tennessee. 

With  the  beginning  of  the  Clinton  sedimentation,  the  sea  gradually 
advanced  over  a  somewhat  uneven  surface.  Deposits  were  first  laid 
down  in  the  deeper  parts  of  the  embayment,  and  along  the  lower  reaches 
of  the  depressions.  Not  until  late  in  the  Sexton  Creek  period  did  the 
waters  overlap  the  higher  ridges  and  submerge  the  general  basin. 


'Savage,  T.  E.:    Amer.  Jour,  of  Science,  vol.  28,  December,  1909,  p.  518. 
-Ulrich:    Mo.  Bur.  of  Geol.  and  Mines,  2d  ser.,  vol.  2,  1904,  p.  110. 


SAVAGEj  PRE-DEVONIAN   OF    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  337 

During  all  of  the  Sexton  Creek  period  of  deposition  the  land  barriers 
and  borders  of  this  basin  were  so  low  that  no  coarse  clastic  materials 
were  carried  down  by  the  streams  and  mingled  with  the  organic  remains. 

The  strata  of  the  formation  in  southwest  Illinois  consist,  in  the  lower 
part,  of  hard,  gray  limestone,  in  layers  4  to  8  inches  thick,  which  are 
separated  one  from  another  by  2-  to  4-inch  bands  of  chert.  At  the  top 
is  a  bed  of  hard,  fine-grained,  pink  or  mottled  limestone,  in  rather 
thick  layers.  This  upper  bed  contains  quite  a  number  of  depauperate 
fossils.  The  character  of  the  Sexton  Creek  strata  in  Illinois  is  well 
shown  in  Plate  37,  B. 

Distribution. — The  rocks  of  the  Sexton  Creek  formation  outcrop 
somewhat  discontinuously  in  the  east  bluff  of  the  Mississippi  River  for  a 
distance  of  about  fifteen  miles.  They  appear  at  intervals  from  a  point 
near  the  old  town  of  Santa  Fe  (Faeville),  northward  into  the  southwest 
corner  of  Union  County.  The  greatest  known  width  of  outcrop  of  this 
formation  is  about  one  mile. 

South  of  Thebes  masses  of  the  pink  and  mottled  limestone  occur  at 
a  number  of  points  in  the  river  bluff,  and  along  the  banks  of  the  tribu- 
tary streams.  A  thickness  of  16  feet  of  the  Sexton  Creek  beds  is  exposed 
two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Thebes.  The  layers  at  this  place  have 
been  described  in  the  detailed  section  S85,  members  c  to  g,  inclusive. 
Xorth  of  Thebes  tlie  lower,  cherty  portion  of  the  formation  becomes  very 
much  thicker,  while  the  pink  or  mottled  beds  at  the  top  maintain  about 
the  same  development  as  further  south. 

Detailed  sections. — The  exceedingly  interesting  succession  of  beds 
thatjare  exposed  in  the  abandoned  quarry  one-fourth  mile  southeast  of 
Gale  has  been  described  on  a  preceding  page,  as  section  S80.  The 
member  designated  S80f  represents  the  Sexton  Creek  horizon,  which  is 
here  separated  from  the  Edgewood  beds  by  a  band  of  residual  red  clay 
and  chert  fragments. 

A  more  complete  section  of  the  Sexton  Creek  beds  is  exposed  in  the 
east  bank  of  Sexton  Creek,  one  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Gale,  in 
sec.  27,  T.  14  S.,  R.  3  W.     The  section,  designated  S79,  is  given  below: 

Section   of  strata  along  Sexton  Greek,  northeast  of  Gale.     Total  thickness 

73  feet  10  inches. 

S79a  Thebes  sandstone:  Brown  colored,  rather  fine-grained,  slightly 
shaly  sandstone,  exposed  in  the  bed  of  a  small  stream  tributary  to  Sexton 
Creek    4   feet 

S79b     Orchard    Creek    shale:      Alternating   shale    zones    and     calcareous 

bands   3  feet  6  inches 

A  concealed  zone  of  about  12  feet. 

S79c  Ledge  of  tough,  gray  limestone,  in  layers  three  to  eight  inches  thick, 
which  are  separated  by  two-to  four-inch  partings  of  chert  and  have  but  few 

fossils    41    feet 

Haly sites  catenulatus  r,  Atrypa  margvnalis  r. 

Favosites  cf.  venustus  r, 

The  above  member  is  the  lower  part  of  the  Sexton  Creek  limestone. 
The  ledge  is  about  eight  rods  north  of  the  outcrop  of  S79a.     North  from 

—22  G 


338  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

this  2)oiiit  the  layers  are  exposed  continuously  for  a  distance  of  one-half 
mile.  They  dip  gently  northward  so  that  successively  higher  strata 
appear  in  the  bluff  in  that  direction. 

S79d  Bed  of  very  hard,  dark  gray  limestone,  in  layers  two  to  four  inches 
thick,  alternating  with  two-  to  three-inch  chert  bands.     This  bed  immediately 

succeeds  S79b,  and  contains  few  fossils  2  feet  6  inches 

Pled  ammonites  transversalis  elegantuJa  r, 
Stricklandinia  triplesiana  r, 
Triplecia  ortoni  var.  r, 

S79e     Drab-colored,  compact  limestone,  in  layers  two  to  eight  inches  thick, 

separated  by  bands  of  chert  2  feet  4  inches 

Favosites  favosus  r,  Striclclandinia  triplesiana  r, 

Favosites  venustus  r,  Triplecia  ortoni  var.  r, 

Atrypa  marginalis  r,  lUinaenvs  cf.  daytonensis  r. 

Orthis  flabellites  r, 

S79f    Layer  of  gray,  cherty  limestone  6  inches 

Favosites  favosus  r. 

S79g  Bed  of  pinkish  or  mottled  limestone,  very  fine-grained,  in  layers 
ten   to   twenty-eight   inches   thick,    containing  many   immature   brachiopods, 

mollusks  and  trilobites  of  small  size    6  feet 

cf.  Leptaena  sp.  c,  Orthoceras  unionensis  c, 

Orthis  sp.  c,  Orthoceras  sp.  r. 

Plectamhonites  transversalis  elegantula  c, 
Spirifer  near  sulcata  r, 

S79h     Massive    layer   of   very    fine-grained,    pink    limestone,     with     many 

small  brachiopods  and  trilobites  3  feet  6  inches 

Dalmanella  elegantula  parva  c,  Gyphaspis?  sp.  r, 

cf.  Hebertella  sp.  r,  *  Illaenus  cf.  amMguous  c, 

Plectamhonites  transversalis  elegantula  c, 
Bumastus  sp.  c,  Lichas  cf.  hreviceps  r, 

Phacops  pulchellus  c, 
Sphaerexochus  sp.  r. 

S79i     Bed  of  fine-grained,  pink  or  mottled  limestone,  In  layers   14   to  32 

inches  thick,  containing  small   fossils    14   feet 

Plectamhonites  transversalis  elegantula  c, 
cf.  Modiolopsis  sp.  r, 
cf.  Loxonema  sp.  c, 

In  the  foregoing  section  S79c  to  S79i,  inclusive^  represent  the  Sexton 
Creek  formation.  The  beds  S79d  to  S79f,  inclusive,  correspond  with 
the  members  S85c  and  S85d  in  the  section  designated  S85,  given  on  a 
former  page.  S79g  and  S79h,  above,  are  also  the  equivalent  of  mem- 
bers S85e  to  S85g,  inclusive,  in  the  section  S85.  It  will  be  seen  that  a 
thickness  of  several  feet  of  the  hard,  gray,  cherty  limestone  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  foregoing  section  of  the  Sexton  Creek  beds,  is  entirely 
wanting  in  the  locality  south  of  Thebes  where  the  section  designated 
S85  was  made.  From  the  locality  on  Sexton  Creek,  north  into  the 
southwest  corner  of  Union  County,  the  Sexton  Creek  strata  may  be  seen 
at  a  number  of  points  in  the  river  bluff. 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  389 

Three  miles  north  ol'  the  Sexton  Creek  exposnre,  and  one  and  one- 
half  miles  east  of  the  town  of  McClurO;,  the  beds  of  this  formation  are 
well  exposed  as  shown  in  Plate  37,  B.  The  layers  at  this  place 
form  a  vertical  cliff  so  that  the  fauna  of  the  individual  beds  could  not 
well  be  obtained.  The  general  succession  of  the  layers  is  similar  to 
that  shown  in  the  section  along  Sexton  Creek.  A  description  of  the 
strata  seen  here  is  given  below  in  the  section  marked  S87. 

Section  of  the  Sexton  Greek  heels  exposed  in  the  east  hluff  of  the  river  one 
and  one-half  miles  east  of  MoClure.     Total  thickness  41  feet. 

S87a  Tough,  gray  limestone,  in  layers  four  to  nine  inches  thick,  separ- 
ated by  very  rough  bands  of  chert  one  to  four  inches  in  thickness. .  .23  feet 

This  bed  corresponds  with  that  portion  of  the  section  along  Sexton 
Creek  below  the  horizon  of  the  pink  limestone. 

S87b  Hard,  fine-grained,  pink  or  mottled  limestone,  in  layers  twenty  to 
forty-five   inches  thick    18   feet 

Above  the  latter  member  the  rocks  are  concealed  by  surficial  materials 
so  that  the  succeeding  strata  could  not  be  observed. 

A  few  miles  north  of  McClure,  in  sees.  33  and  29,  T.  13  S.,  E.  2  W., 
in  Union  County,  these  beds  disappear  beneath  younger  formations.  In 
the  E.  1/2  sec.  20,  and  the  SE.  y^  sec.  17,  of  this  township,  the  Sexton 
Creek  strata  again  appear  above  the  level  of  the  flood-plain  along  the 
border  of  Bluff  Lake.  In  this  vicinity  a  thickness  of  50  feet  of  the 
hard,  gray,  cherty  phase  is  exposed  below  the  horizon  of  the  pink 
limestone. 

The  total  maximum  thickness  of  the  Sexton  Creek  formation  exposed 
in  southwest  Illinois,  including  the  pink  limestone  at  the  top,  is  about 
75  feet.  The  thickness  varies  considerably  at  different  points.  It  does 
not  exceed  30  feet  in  the  exposure  south  of  Thebes.  Along  Sexton 
Creek  the  aggregate  thickness  is  about  70  feet.  In  the  southwest  corner 
of  Union  County  the  total  thickness  below  the  horizon  of  the  pink 
limestone  is  about  50  feet.  Where  the  formation  is  thinnest,  it  is  the 
lower  and  not  the  upper  layers  that  are  absent. 

Fossils  of  the  Sexton  Creeh  formation. — The  fauna  of  the  Sexton 
Creek  formation  is  listed  below.  In  column  2  of  this  table  there  are 
indicated  those  species  which  occur  also  in  the  Clinton  beds  of  Ohio. 


340 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  Ifi 

Fossils  of  the  Sexton  Greek  formation  in  Illinois. 


Clathrodictyon  vesiculosum  Nicholson  and  Murie 

Favosites  favosus  Goldfuss 

Favosites  venustus  Hall 

Holy  sites  catenulatus  Linnaeus 

Streptelasma  sp 

Atrypa  marginalis  (Dalman) 

Datmanella  elegantula  parva  f  oerste 

cf .  Hebertella  sp 

Leptaena  rhomboidalis  ( Wilekens) 

cf .  Leptaena  sp 

Orthis  cf.  davidsoni  DeVerneuil 

Orthis  flabellites  Foerste 

Plectambonites  transversalis  ( Wahlenberg) 

Plectambonites  transversalis  elegantula  Foerste . . 

Rafinesquina  sp 

Spirifer  near  sulcata  Hall 

Stricklandinia  triplesiana  Foerste 

Triplecia  ortoni  var 

cf.  Modiolopsis  sp 

cf.  Loxonema  sp '. 

Orthoceras  sp 

Orthoceras  unionensis  Worthen 

Bumastus  sp 

Cyphaspis?  sp 

lUaenus  el.  daytonensis  Hall  and  Whitfield 

Lichas  cf.  breviceps  Hall 

Phacops  pulchellus  Foerste 

Sphaerexochus  sp 


1 

2 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

• 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

Correlation. — The  occurrence  of  a  number  of  the  characteristic  fossils 
of  the  foregoing  list  in  the  Clinton  rocks  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  as 
described  by  Foerste/  makes  it  quite  certain  that  the  Sexton  Creek 
formation  in  Illinois  corresponds  in  general  with  the  Clinton  beds  in 
those  states. 

Triplecia  ortoni  and  StricHandinia  triplesiana  are  guide  fossils  to 
the  Clinton  in  Ohio.  The  former  species  is  represented  in  Illinois  by  a 
variety  more  transverse  than  the  typical  examples  of  the  species,  and  is 
referred  to  above  as  a  variety.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Ulrich,  the 
writer  has  had  the  privilege  of  comparing  the  Illinois  variety  with  forms 
of  Triplecia  ortoni  collected  by  Mr.  Ulrich  from  Arkansas  and  Oklahoma. 
The  collections  from  Arkansas  contained  only  the  transverse  types,  like 
those  in  Illinois.  Among  the  shells  from  Oklahoma  the  transverse  forms 
were  associated  with  more  elongate  shells,  with  narrow  hinge  line,  having 
the  typical  form  of  the  shells  of  this  species  at  Dayton,  Ohio.  The 
transverse  form  of  shell  is  also  found  associated  with  typical  shells  in 
the  Clinton  strata  of  Ohio. 

It  would  seem  probable  that  the  early  Clinton  fauna  came  up  the 
Mississippian  embayment  froin  the  south,  and  spread  over  the  region 
to  the  east  and  west  as  the  sea  advanced  more  and  more  upon  the  land. 
Tlie  transverse  variety  of  Triplecia  ortoni  is  thought  to  be  the  ancestral 
form  from  which  there  was  gradually  developed  the  more  elongate 
type  of  the  species  by  the  time  the  submergence  reached  as  far  west 
as  Oklahoma,  and  eastward  as  far  as  Ohio. 


'Foerste:    Geol.  Surv.  of  Ohio,  vol.  7, 1893,  pp.  516-60L 


SAVAGE]  PRE-DEVONIAN   OF   SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS.  341 

It  seems  certain  that  the  deposition  of  the  Sexton  Creek  beds  in 
Illinois  was  initiated  in  restricted  embayments  which  were  bordered  by 
low-lying  shores,  and  that  the  area  of  sedimentation  gradually  expanded 
as  the  sea  continued  to  advance  upon  the  land. 

Post-Sexton   Creek   Unconformity. 

Deposition  of  the  Sexton  Creek  sediments  was  brought  to  a  close  by 
a  withdrawal  of  the  sea  from  all  of  the  region  under  consideration. 
During  the  period  in  which  the  Niagara  dolomites  in  central  and 
northern  Illinois  were  deposited,  this  southAvest  portion  of  the  State 
remained  above  the  sea. 

The  sediments  that  occur  in  this  area,  next  above  the  Clinton,  belong 
to  the  New  Scotland  (Helderbergian)  division  of  the  lower  Devonian. 
Strata  of  this  age  appear  above  the  Sexton  Creek  beds  at  a  number  of 
points  between  McClure  and  the  village  of  Gale,  in  Alexander  County. 
They  are  again  well  exposed  along  a  branch  of  Miller  Creek,  about  three 
and  one-half  miles  east  of  Thebes.  They  also  form  the  major  portion 
of  the  bluff  that  borders  the  river  along  the  north  half  of  the  west  side 
of  Union  County. 


342  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 


STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 

(By  Jon  A.  Udden  and  J.  E.  Todd.) 


Table  of  Contents. 

Page 
Alton- 
Introduction 345 

Stone 345 

Materials  for  concrete 34.5 

Sand 345 

Gravel 346 

Crushed  stone 346 

Transportation  facilities  and  costs 347 

Cement 347 

Clay  products 347 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters 348 

Lime 348 

Belleville- 
Introduction  '. . .  348 

Concrete  materials 348 

Stone 348 

Sand 349 

Gravel 349 

Clay  products 349 

Brick 349 

Belvidere — 

Introduction 351 

Stone 351 

Materials  for  concrete 353 

Sand  and  gravel 353 

Crushed  stone 355 

Clay  products 356 

Materials  for  plaster 356 

Lime « 356 

Chicago  Heights — 

Introduction 357 

Stone 357 

Dimension  stone 357 

Materials  for  concrete 357 

Sand 357 

Gravel 357 

Crushed  rock 357 

Cement 357 

Clay  products - .  357 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters 358 

Danville- 
Introduction  _ 358 

Stone 358 

Sand  and  gravel 358 

Brick 361 


UDDEN  AND  TODDJ       STRUCTURAL    MATERIALS    IN    ILLINOIS.  343 

Table  of  Contents' — Continued. 

Page. 
Dixon — 

Introduction 362 

Stone  for  building 3(53 

Materials  for  concrete 363 

Crushed  stone. 364 

Cement 366 

Clay  products 368 

Materials  for  mortar  and  cement 368 

Lime 368 

Gysum 368 

Sand 368 

Greenville — 

Introduction 368 

Stone 368 

Dimension  stone 368 

Material  for  concrete 368 

Sand 368 

Gravel 369 

Molding  sand 369 

Crushed  rock 370 

Cement 370 

Clay  products 370 

Face  brick 370 

Materials  for  mortar  and  plaster -. 371 

Hillsboro-Litchfield— 

Introduction 371 

Stone 371 

Dimension  stone 371 

Materials  for  concrete 371 

Sand  and  gravel. 371 

Crushed  stone 371 

Cement 372 

Clay  products 372 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters 374 

LaSaUe — 

Introduction 374 

Stone 375 

Materials  for  concrete 375 

Sand  and  gravel 375 

Crushed  stone. 376 

Cement 376 

Clay  products 377 

Common  brick 377 

Front  brick 377 

Cement-sand  brick 377 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters 377 

Lime 377 

Gysum 37S 

Sand 378 

Lincoln- 
Introduction  378 

Sand  and  gravel 378 

Clay  products 379 


344  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Table  of  Contents — Concluded. 

Page. 

Mattoon— 

Introduction 380 

Stone 380 

Materials  for  concrete 380 

Sand  and  gravel 380 

Crushed  tone 380 

Clay  products 380 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters - . 381 

Pontiac — 

Introduction 381 

Materials  for  concrete 381 

Quincy— 

Introduction 382 

Stone 382 

Materials  for  concrete 383 

Sand 383 

Gravel 383 

Crushed  stone 383 

Cement 385 

Clay  products 385 

Common  brick 385 

Face  brick 385 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters 386 

Lime." 386 

Rock  Island  and  Moline— 

Introduction 386 

Stone 387 

Dimension  stone 387 

Material  for  concrete 388 

Sand 388 

Gravel 388 

Crushed  stone 388 

Clay  products o88 

Common  brick 389 

Face  brick 389 

Tile 390 

Materials  for  mortar  and  plaster 390 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS  345 


ALTON. 

Introduction. 

Alton  is  situated  on  the  Mississippi  in  the  northeast  part  of  Madison 
County.  Transportation  facilities  are  good,  numerous  railroads  enter- 
ing the  town,  as  well  as  interurban  service  with  East  St.  Louis  and  St. 
Louis. 

The  rocks  of  this  region  consist  of  unconsolidated  deposits  of  Quater- 
nary age  and  hard  rocks  of  Mississippian  and  Pennsylvanian  age.  The 
first  class  includes  silt,  clay,  and  a  little  gravel,  all  of  the  glacial  drift. 
The  hard  rocks  consist  mainly  of  limestone,  with  small  amounts  of  shale 
and  sandstone.  Limestone  occurs  along  the  high  bluffs  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  extends  inland  for  a  few  miles.  It  has  an  extensive  develop- 
ment and  outcrop  along  the  Mississippi  northward  for  some  50  miles. 

Within  the  city  of  Alton  the  structural  materials  available  are  stone, 
brick,  sand,  and  lime.  Ttiere  are  six  operating  quarries,  two  brick  com- 
panies, one  sand  company,  and  one  lime  company. 

Stone. 

Some  limestone  is  quarried  for  foundation  purposes,  and  is  selected 
from  portions  of  the  quarries  where  the  rocks  are  more  or  less  evenly 
Ijeddecl  and  of  uniform  thickness.  This  industry  at  one  time  received 
greater  attention  and  a  great  deal  of  rock  was  trimmed  for  exterior 
purposes.  Rock  for  foundations  is  worth  at  present  between  70  and  80 
cents  a  ton.     It  comes  from  the  ^quarries  described  on  later  pages. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Sand. — The  source  of  the  sand  used  at  Alton  is  the  Mississippi  River. 
One  company  operates  throughout  the  year,  but  when  there  is  low  water 
a  number  of  local  men  obtain  sand  by  digging  along  the  banks.  The 
Mississippi  Sand  Co.,  obtains  most  of  its  sand  3  or  4  miles  up  the  river, 
by  means  of  a  sand  pump.  It  is  washed,  screened,  loaded  on  barges,  and 
brought  to  Alton,  where  it  is  loaded  into  cars  by  means  of  a  steam  shovel. 
The  sand  is  of  uniform  size,  and  to  all  appearances,  of  the  same  composi- 
tion as  the  sand  obtained  in  the  river  at  St.  Louis. 

Roughly,  it  contains  90  per  cent  polished  and  rounded  grains  of  quarta 
and  about  10  per  cent  dark-colored  grains,  including  some  fragments  of 
limestone  and  of  carbon  matter.  Most  of  the  sand  is  shipped  over  the 
Chicago,  Peoria  and  St.  Louis  Railway,  to  points  north  of  Alton.* 


846 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Gravel. — There  are  no  gravel  pits  in  tiiis  vicinity,  since  the  local 
crushed  rock  is  used  almost  exclusively  for  concrete  work. 

Crushed  stone.— At  Alton  there  are  six  quarries  producing  crushed 
stone.  Five  are  located  west  of  the  Chicago  and  Alton  station,  along 
the  Mississippi,  and  within  2  miles  of  the  depot.  The  sixth  is  located 
about  %  of  a  mile  north  of  the  Chicago  and  Alton  depot. 

The  stone  quarries  operating  at  Alton  are  as  follows : 

OFFICE. 

Queen  City  Quarry  Co East   St.  Louis,  111. 

Alton  Lime  and  Cement  Co Alton 

Harry    Gissal     - Alton 

Alton  Building  i^nd  Supply  Co Alton 

John  Armstrong  Lime  and  Quarry  Co Alton 

Reliance  Quarry  and  Contracting  Co Alton 

The  stone  is  the  typical  St.  Louis  limestone  of  Mississippi  an  age.  The 
thickness  varies  from  55  to  90  feet.  It  varies  from  dense,  fine-grained, 
to  medium-grained,  subcrystalline,  light-gray  limestone.  In  places  it 
has  a  yellow,  earthy  appearance,  and  is  somewhat  porous.  The  thickness 
of  the  beds  varies  from  2  to  30  inches,  and  generally  the  bedding  planes 
are  irregular  and  filled  with  grayish  shale.  Concretions  of  chert,  vary- 
ing in  thickness  from  %  i^ch  to  4  inches,  occur  in  some  of  the  beds. 
Generally  the  limestone  weathers  buff. 

Numerous  analyses  which  have  been  made  illustrate  the  composition 
of  the  limestone  at  Alton.  Most  of  these  analyses  have  been  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  the  value  of  different  ledges  for  fluxing  purposes. 
Along  the  Mississippi,  16  different  ledges  were  sampled  and  analized, 
for  silica.  The  maximum  silica  content  amounted  to  4.50  per  cent  and 
the  minimum  .70  per  cent.  The  average  silica  for  the  whole  quarry 
face  amounted  to  1.962  per  cent.  At  the  Reliance  Quarry  &  Contracting 
Co.,  four  samples  of  the  quarry  face  were  taken,  and  the  composition  of 
the  limestone  was  as  noted  in  the  following  table: 


Top  ledge 
20  ft. 


TiCdge  20- 

40  ft.  below 

surface 


Brown 

ledge  48-56 

ft.  below 

surface. 


Ledges  56 
76  ft.  below 
surface  to 
bottom  of 
quarry. 


Average. 


Silica 

Oxide  of  iron 

Oxide  of  Aluminum 

Carbonate  of  magnesium 
Carbonate  of  calcium 


2.01 
.41 

1.41 

.38 

95.79 


3.43 

.44 

1.47 

.58 
94.06 


8.52 

6.51 

1.63 

.59 

7.00 

1.68 

4.22 

.77 

95.63 

90.45 

4.09 
7.67 
2.89 
1.48 
89.75 


Steam  equipment  is  in  use  at  the  various  commercial  quarries.  The 
rock  is  quarried  by  means  of  drills,  blasting,  and  breaking  up  with 
sledges. 

There  are  ten  crushers  in  operation,  consisting  of  3  Gates  No,  5;  2 
No.  3 ;  and  1  No.  6 ;  besides  1  Austin  No.  5 ;  and  1  Champion  No.  5. 
Each  quarry  is  equipped  with  a  rotary  screen,  and  the  following  sizes 
of  screens  are  used  in  the  quarries : 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


347 


Crushers. 

Size  of  screen  perforations- 

—inches. 

Name  of  quarry. 

i        i 

i 

i 

1 

li 

n 

If 

2 

2i 

^ 

Queen  City  Quarry  Co 

Austin  No.  5... 

Gates  No  5 

Gates  No.  5 

X 
X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

.... 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

X 

Harry  Gissal                      

X 
X 

Alton  Building  &  Supply  Co 

Gates  No.  3,  No. 
6    . 

X 
X 

Reliance  Quarry  &  Contracting  Co. 

Gates  No.  3  No. 
5 

X 

X 

X 

X 

At  one  of  the  quarries  the  sizes  of  the  crushed  rock  is  controlled  by 
adjusting  the  jaws  of  the  crusher.  At  the  same  plant  10  and  15-mcsh 
screens  are  used  for  collecting  fine  lime  dust  for  fertilizer  and  for  finish- 
ing cement  walks. 

Transportation  facilitie.'^  and  costs. — Material  from  the  various  quar- 
ries can  be  shipped  readily  over  any  of  the  following  roads :  ISTew  York 
Central  Lines;  the  Wabash;  the  Chicago,  Peoria  and  St.  Louis;  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy;  the  Chicago  and  Alton;  and  the  Illi- 
nois Terminal  Eailroads.  The  rate  on  crushed  rock  to  East  St.  Loui^ 
is  25  cents,  to  Springfield  40  cents,  to  Litchfield  44  cents,  to  Pana  60 
cents,  and  to  Edwardsville  35  cents.  Crushed  rock  is  worth  from  55  to 
70  cents  a  short  ton,  rubble  70  to  80  cents  a  ton,  and  riprap  about  55 
cents  a  ton.  Some  of  the  finer  crushed  rock  is  sold  for  fertilizer,  and 
some  also  for  finishing  concrete  walks.  A  great  deal  of  the  limestone  is 
shipped  to  Granite  City  steel  works  where  it  is  used  as  a  flux. 

Ceni&nt. — No  cement  plants  are  located  at  Alton. 


Clay  Products. 

Two  brick  plants  are  in  operation  in  Alton.  One  company  makes 
paving  and  face  brick,  which  are  used  extensively  for  building  purposes. 
The  other  brick  company  makes  a  hand-mold  brick  from  the  loess. 

The  largest  brick  plant  is  that  of  the  Alton  Brick  Co.,  located  about 
2%  miles  north  of  Alton.  The  plant  has  about  160  acres  of  land,  which 
contains  loess  for  dry-press  brick,  and  shale  for  paving  brick.  Of  this 
amount  between  8  and  10  acres  has  already  been  worked.  The  paving 
bricks  are  made  from  a  mixture  of  yellow  clay,  or  loess,  and  shale,  which 
also  contains  some  small  ledges  of  sandstone.  All  of  this  material  is 
taken  out  of  the  pit  by  means  of  a  Marion  steam  shovel,  and  is  trans- 
ported to  the  plant  in  cars  by  a  small  steam  engine.  This  shale  is  put 
through  the  preliminary  preparations,  and  then  into  a  stiff-mud,  side- 
cut  machine.  These  bricks  are  finished  in  a  press.  Afterwards  they 
are  placed  in  direct-heat  dryers,  having  a  capacity  of  150,000  bricks. 
The  bricks  are  burned  in  two  continuous  kilns  by  means  of  producer  gas. 

A  face  brick  is  made  entirely  from  loess  by  the  dry-press  process,  a 
Fernholtz  six-mold  machine  being  used. 

The  product  is  shipped  principally  over  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Eail- 
road.  For  paving  bricks  a  price  ranging  between  $10.00  to  $1?.00  is 
usually  obtaiued,  and  for  dry-press  face  brick  between  $6.00  and  $7.00. 


348  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [BULL.  NO.  16 

Materials  for  Mortars  and  Plasters. 

Lime. — At  Alton  there  is  one  plant  manufacturing  lime  from  the  local 
limestone.  The  John  Armstrong  Lime  and  Quarry  Co.,  makes  quick- 
lime from  a  dark,  massive,  limestone  which  averages  about  20  feet  in 
thickness.  Four  iron  cupolas  are  kept  in  operation,  each  having  a  capa- 
city of  250  bushels.  This  material  is  sold  in  bulk  and  it  is  also  pulver- 
ized and  passed  over  screens  of  10  and  15  mesh.  The  average  price  of 
lime  during  the  year  ranges  between  $2.50  to  $2.75  per  ton. 


THE  BELLEVILLE  REGION. 
Introduction. 

Belleville  is  the  county  seat  of  St.  Clair  County,  which  is  situated  in 
the  southwestern  part  of  the  State,  with  the  Mississippi  at  its  western 
boundary.  Belleville  has  three  railroads:  the  Illinois  Central,  the  South- 
ern, and  the  Louisville  &  Nashville.  The  interurban  service  connecting 
Belleville  with  East  St.  Louis  and  St.  Louis,  also  handles  a  large  amount 
of  freight. 

The  rocks  of  this  region  consist  of,  (1)  unconsolidated  surface  de- 
posits including  silt,  clay,  and  a  little  gravel,  all  of  the  glacial  drift  of 
Quaternary  age;  (2)  solid  rocks  of  Pennsylvanian  and  Mississippian 
age.  The  latter  consist  of  shale,  sandstone,  and  small  amounts  of  lime- 
stone. The  limestone  occurs  along  the  high  bluffs  of  the  Mississippi, 
some  12  miles  west  and  south  of  Belleville,  and  has  extensive  outcrops 
along  the  river  southward  for  a  distance  of  some  35  or  45  miles. 

Within  the  city  limits  of  Belleville,  the  only  structural  materials  avail- 
al^le  are  two  grades  of  brick.  No  quarries  of  limestone  or  pits  of  saiifl 
and  gravel  are  to  be  found.  Stone  for  concrete  and  general  building 
purposes  is  received  from  East  St.  Louis  and  Stolle. 

Concrete  Materials. 

Stone. — There  is  at  Belleville  a  single  quarry  operated  by  the  County 
for  road  material;  but  the  limestone  that  is  mainly  used  for  rubble  or 
for  concrete,  is  shipped  about  12  miles  from  the  vicinity  of  Stolle,  Illi- 
nois. The  quarries  are  located  in  sees.  13  and  14,  T.  9  N.,  R.  10  W. 
A  portion  of  this  stone  reaches  Belleville  over  the  Illinois  Central;  the 
remainder  is  shipped  to  East  St.  Louis,  where  all  the  companies  have 
offices.  There  are  four  companies  operating,  which  in  the  order  of 
their  production,  are : 

Casper-Stolle  Quarrying  and   Contracting  Co. 

East  St.  Louis  Stone  Co. 

Wm.  Stolle  Quarry  Co.' 

John  Niemes  Quarry  Co. 

The  stone  is  the  typical  St.  Louis  limestone,  of  Mississippian  age.  The 
thickness  varies  from  80  to  100  feet,  and  the  texture  from  dense,  fine- 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  349 

grained,  to  medium-grained  or  subcrystalline.  The  beds  vary  from  4 
to  24  inches,  and  are  separated  by  irregular  bedding  planes  filled  with 
grayish-colored  shale.  Concretions  of  chert  occurring  in  some  of  the 
beds  vary  in  thickness  from  1/2  to  2I/2  inches.  Generally  the  limestone 
is  light-gray  but  it  weathers  to  buff. 

The  overburden  is  a  yellow,  sandy,  loess,  varying  in  thickness  from 
10  to  50  feet.  This  is  usually  removed  by  hydraulicking  or  by  wheel 
scrapers,  and  part  of  it  is  shipped  to  East  St.  Louis  for  filling  purposes. 

The  largest  quarry  is  that  of  the  Casper- Stolle  Quarrying  &  Con- 
struction Co.,  which  operates  on  a  lease  from  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road. Production  includes  crushed  rock  for  railroad  ballast  and  con- 
crete ;  and  also  rubble.  In  the  past  some  dimension  stone  was  cut.  The 
working  face  is  about  800  feet  long  and  varies  in  height  from  40  to  95 
feet.  Quarrying  is  by  means  of  air  drill,  blasting,  and  breaking  with 
sledges.  The  stone  is  loaded  into  cars  and  pulled  up  a  tramway  by  cable 
to  crushers  of  the  Gates  type.  Eotary  screens  prepare  the  crushed  rock 
in  sizes  which  vary  from  %  to  3%  inches.  The  cost  of  transportation 
to  Belleville  on  crushed  rock  and  rubble,  respectively,  amounts  to  30  and 
40  cents  a  ton.  At  the  quarry  crushed  rock  is  worth'from  80  to  90  cents, 
rubble  $1.10,  and  riprap  60  to  70  cents  a  ton. 

The  East  St.  Louis  Stone  Co.  has  a  working  face  about  625  feet  long 
and  80  feet  high.  Its  equipment  consists  of  crusher  and  rotary  screens. 
Most  of  the  product  is  shipped  to  East  St.  Louis. 

The  Wm.  Stolle  Quarry  Co.,  has  a  working  face  350  feet  long  and 
about  65  feet  high.  Some  of  the  stone  is  not  marketable  on  account  of 
undesirable  color ;  the  rest  is  shipped  to  East  St.  Louis. 

The  John  Niemes  Quarry  has  a  working  face  about  300  feet  long 
and  70  feet  high.  The  equipment  is  not  so  large  as  those  previously 
mentioned. 

Tlie  last  three  companies  pay  10  cents  a  ton  and  $2.00  switching 
charges  to  East  St.  Louis.  The  properties  are  leased  from  the  Vandalia 
Eailroad.  The  weekly  production  of  all  quarries  amounts  to  about  1,125 
tons. 

Sand. — Sand  is  obtained  at  Belleville  from  the  Union  Sand  &  Material 
Co.,  of  St.  Louis,  who  pump  it  from  the  Mississippi.  It  is  then  washed 
and  screened  and  loaded  on  barges  or  cars  by  means  of  a  bucket  elevator 
on  a  swinging  crane.  The  sand  is  of  uniform  size  and  consists  of  90  per 
cent  of  rounded,  polished,  grains  of  quartz.  The  grains  are  mostly 
white,  but  some  are  pink.  Dark-colored  grains  make  up  about  5  per  cent 
of  the  bulk,  and  grains  of  limestone  and  fragments  of  coal  make  up 
another  5  per  cent. 

Gravel. — Hardly  any  gravel  is  used  in  Belleville  for  concrete,  but 
crushed  Missouri  granite  is  extensively  used. 

Clay  Products. 

Brick. — The  only  clay  products  manufactured  extensively  at  Belle- 
ville are  common  and  front  brick.  Tliree  kinds  of  ornamental  bricks 
are  made  in  small  quantities.  There  are  five  brick  yards,  which  in  the 
order  of  production,  are : 


350 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.    NO. 


Belleville  Brick  Co. 
Ittner  Brick  Co. 
Kloess  Brick  Co. 
Standard  Brick  Co. 
Gansmann  Brick  Co. 

The  bricks  are  all  manufactured  from  a  yellow,  clayey,  loess.  The 
loess  measures  from  12  to  22  feet,  and  generally  has  an  over-burden  of 
black  soil  varying  from  0  to  4  feet  in  thickness.  This  loess  is  thicker 
and  more  sandy  towards  Mississippi  Eiver.  Towards  the  east  it  de- 
creases in  thickness,  and  bowlder  clay  becomes  more  plentiful. 

The  clay  is  first  loosened  by  disc  harrows  and  allowed  to  dry  in  the 
open  air.  Afterwards  it  is  carried  by  Quincy  clay  gatherers  to  storage 
sheds  for  seasoning.  Then  it  is  pulverized  and  screened  and  run  into 
dry-press  machines.  A  softer  brick  is  made  from  this  same  loess  with- 
out any  preparation,  except  that  it  is  dried  a  day  or  so  in  the  open  air, 
then  run  through  a  pulverizer,  and  finally  into  a  hammer-press  machine. 
Both  up-draft  and  down-draft  kilns  are  used.  The  capacity  varies  from 
150,000  to  350,000  bricks.  Kilns  are  first  heated  with  wood,  at  times 
with  coke.  The  burning  is  finished  with  bituminous  coal,  in  from  7  to 
14  days.  The  buri!  varies  in  the  kilns,  the  hard-burned  bricks  bein^^ 
obtained  over  the  arches.  In  color  the  bricks  grade  from  medium-red 
to  salmon. 

The  Belleville  Brick  Co.,  having  the  largest  plant,  may  be  described 
though  the  equipment  of  the  others  is  similar.  The  two  drying  sheds 
hold  clay  for  about  9,000,000  bricks.  Pulverizers  and  screens  are  con- 
nected with  an  Andrews  four-mold  dry-press  and  a  Fernholtz  two-mold 
hammer-press  machine.  There  are  six  updraft  kilns  with  a  capacity  of 
300,000  to  340,000  bricks  and  two,  square,  down-draft  kilns,  holding 
180,000  bricks.  The  bricks  run  in  hard,  medium  and  soft  grades,  and 
vary  from  dark-red  to  salmon.  The  capacity  of  the  plant  is  about  65,- 
000  bricks  a  day,  and  about  25  per  cent  of  the  product  consists  of  soft- 
burned  bricks.  Price  varies  according  to  grade,  but  averages  $6.75  a 
thousand,  delivered  in  Belleville. 

The  equipment  and  facilities  of  the  various  plants  is  given  in  the  fol- 
lowing table: 


BeUevi  le 
Brick  Co. 

Ittner 
Brick  Co. 

Gansmann 
Brick  Co. 

Standa'-d 
Brick  Co. 

Kloess 
Brick  Co. 

Location  in  town. 

S.  E. 

18-20 

25 

25 

18-24 

111.  Cent 

$5.50 

1  Fernholtz 

1  Andrews 

6 
2 

65,000 
9,000,000 

North 

20 

78 

40 

48 

L.  &  N. 

$5,50 

7  Scott 

North 

16-18 

10 

8 

12 

S  W. 
18-20 
18 

\ 

111.  Cent. 

$5.50 

2  Bergs 

1  Andrews 

4 

4 

50,000 

5,000,000 

N   W. 

20 

Approx.  acres  available 

45 

Acres  under  development 

5* 

Overburden  black  soil,  inches 

Railroad  connection 

30 
Southern 

Price  per  M 

$5.50 
Reliance 

$5.50 

Machines 

1  Andrews 

1  Triumph 

Kilns— 

Up-draft 

7 

8 

130,000 

5,000,000 

3 

4 

Down-draft 

4 

Daily  capacity      .  . 

18,000 
2,000,000 

40, 000 

Clay  storage  capacity 

3,000,000 

UDDEN  AND  ToddI      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  351 

JiELVlDEliPl 

Introduction. 

The  Belvidere  region  is  heavily  covered  with  glacial  drift,  consequently 
stratified  rock  is  rarely  exposed.  It  is  a  magnesian  limestone,  which, 
though  well  adapted  for  building,  is  now  mainly  used  for  crushed  stone. 
Sand  and  gravel  are  abundant  and  of  good  quality.  Clay  products, 
mainly  brick,  were  once  important,  but  material  is  limited  and  not  well 
situated  for  transportation,  hence  none  are  now  manufactured.  A 
similar  statement  might  be  made  for  lime. 

Stone. 

Only  three  or  four  extensive  exposures  of  limestone  have  been  found 
within  a  radius  of  six  miles  of  the  city.  These,  in  the  order  of  their 
prominence  of  production,  arc  as  follows: 

1.  The  Hall  quarry,  owned  by  F.  I.  and  Fred  Hajll,  4i^  miles  south. 

2.  The  Stevenson  or  Beaver  Creek  quarry,  5%  miles  northwest;  extends 
along  the  creek  with  slight  interruption  to  the  Spencer  quarry,  14  mile  south. 

3.  The  Electric  Company  quarry,  1%  miles  west  of  Belvidere. 

The  Hall  quarry  in  the  SW.  %  NW.  14  sec.  14,  T.  44  N.,  R.  3  E.,  is 
in  the  Cincinnati  formation  of  the  Ordovician  system.  It  furnishes  a 
thin-bedded,  light-buff,  magnesian  limestone,  formerly  used  largely  for 
walls  and  foundations  because  of  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  broken 
into  blocks  resembling  common  brick  in  size  and  shape.  It  is  durable 
and  of  pleasing  color.  The  character  of  stripping  and  general  position 
of  the  different  rock  strata  are  shown  in  the  following  section : 

Descriptive  section. 


Thickness- 
feet. 


6.    Soil  and  subsoil  with  few  pebbles 2^  to  3 

5.    Pebbly  brown  clay  or  till 2    to  4 

4.    Weathered^  thin-bedded  limestone 2    to  3 

3.    Light-butf,  soft,  brittle,,  magnesian  limestone,  mostly  in  layers  2^  to  4  inches  thickj 
All  very  even  and  all  standing  weathering  well,  except  two  or  three  so  called  "  rot-i 

ten  layers"  which  are  discarded 6    to  8 

2.    Bluish,  shaly,  limestone,  (worthless) 2    to  3 

1.    Blue,  shaly,  clay  with  a  blackish  layer 6 


The  strata  are  horizontal,  containing  no  chert  nor  pyrite,  and  very 
few  fossils.  No.  3  shows  main  joints  vertical,  very  even  and  50-75 
feet  apart,  running  north  20°  east.  (Mag.)  Another  set  very  similar 
runs  east  and  west,  and  a  third,  less  regular  and  more  prominent  in 
lower  layers,  north  60°  west.  No.  4  does  not  stand  frost,  but  it  has 
been  used  for  well  curbing.  The  quarry  is  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  and  is 
represented  by  the  above  section.  The  other  quarries  were  worked  on 
adjacent  properties  but  they  have  been  either  worked  out  or  purchased 
l)y'  Hall. 


352  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

It  is  estimated  that  about  6V2  acres  of  stone  have  been  worked  out 
and  that  only  2  acres  are  left.  The  stone  remaining  is  not  as  thick  as 
the  former  product.  In  early  days,  stone  from  this  quarry  was  hauled 
25  miles.  The  present  price  is  $4.00  a  cord  at  the  quarry  and  $8.00 
in  Belvidere;  the  weight  of  a  cord  is  12,000  pounds.  Transportation 
to  Belvidere,  4I/2  miles  distant,  is  by  wagon,  over  hilly  roads. 

The  Beaver  Creek  quarries,  located  in  the  SE.  14  sec.  5,  and  the 
jST.  1/2  NE.  %  sec.  8,  T.  44  N.,  R.  3  E.,  are  in  the  Galena  formation, 
lying  next  below  the  Cincinnatian.  They  lie  in  the  base  of  the  east 
bluffs  of  a  small  tributary  of  Beaver  Creek  and  are  readily  drained  into 
that  stream.  They  extend  interruptedly  for  y^  i^ile  or  more.  The 
main  quarry  is  the  property  of  John  Stephenson.  It  has  not  been  worked 
for  four  years.     The  following  section  is  exposed  : 

Descriptive  section. 


Thickness- 
feet. 


3.    Soil  and  till 

2.    Weathered  rock,  largely  decomposed  limestone,  suitable  for  crushing 

1.    Light-bufI,  somewhat  crystalline  magnesian  limestone,  with  soft  porous  places  and 
some  small  cavities;  thick-bedded,  with  even  layers 


1  to  6 
4  to  fi 


2  to  6 


The  quarry  presents  a  perpendicular  face  about  300  feet  long  and 
20  to  25  feet  high,  including  the  5-foot  weathered  rock.  The  strata 
are  even  and  horizontal. 

This  rock  was  largely  used  in  early  years  for  bridge  piers  and  founda- 
tions, and  for  some  houses.  It  has  shown  itself  strong  and  durable.  A 
cord  weighs  14,000  pounds.  The  difficulty  of  hauling  to  Belvidere,  5 1^2 
miles,  over  a  road,  part  of  which  is  hilly,  besides  the  increasing  uses  of 
concrete,  account  for  the  abandonment  of  the  quarry. 

The  Spencer  quarry,  similarly  situated  in  every  way,  has  been  opened 
by  the  County  Eoad  Commissioners  to  obtain  crushed  stone  for  public 
roads.  A  portable  engine  is  used  for  the  purpose;  the  owner,  Jesse 
Spencer,  receives  10  cents  a  load  of  crushed  stone,  which  is  equal  to 
about  1  cubic  yard. 

The  Electric  quarry  near  the  center  of  sec.  34,  T.  44  N".,  R.  3  E.,  11/2 
miles  west  of  Belvidere,  is  also  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Galena  lime- 
stone. A  small,  tributary  of  Kishwaukee  River  was  displaced  to  open 
the  quarry,  which  is  an  oblong  pit  about  275  feet  long,  125  feet  wide 
and  23  to  25  feet  deep.  It  is  largely  below  the  bottom  of  the  creek.  The 
following  section  was  measured : 

Descriptive  section. 


Thickness 
feet. 


2.    Soil  and  gravel,  varying  with  altitude 

1 .    Magnesian  limestone,  mostly  buff,  and  weathered  into  nodular  layers . 


4  to  10 
20  to  23 


UDDfiN  AND  TODDJ      STRUCTURAL  MAXEtilALS  IK  ILLINOIS.  358 

The  lower  strata  of  No.  1  are  thick  and  bluish  or  light-gray.  The  rock 
is  somewhat  clayey,  yet  largely  crystalline;  joints  are  well  developed,  as 
in  other  quarries;  fossils  are  fairly  abundant,  and  some  are  replaced  by 
"black  jack'^  or  blend.  The  quarry  is  connected  by  spurs  with  both 
the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Eailroad  and  the  Rockford  and  Interurban 
Electric  line.  The  rock  has  been  mostly  crushed  for  use  in  concrete,  for 
which  it  is  in  demand.  Should  dimension  stone  be  needed  at  any  time 
this  stone  is  doubtless  equal  to  the  Beaver  Creek  stone,  and  is  much 
more  accessible.  Blocks  16  to  24  inches  thick  could  be  obtained  easily. 
Analysis  of  rock  from  this  quarry  was  made  two  years  since  by  Professor 
W.  W.  Daniels  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  who  submitted  the  fol- 
lowing report:  "No.  1  is  the  sample  from  the  surface,  and  No.  2  from 
deeper  down.  Neither  sample  is  suitable  for  cement  making,  since 
each  contains  too  large  a  percentage  of  magnesium.  No.  2  has  a  good 
degree  of  hardness  and  will  make  a  durable  stone  for  macadamizing 
roads;  the  stone  used  on  the  streets  of  Madison  is  not  as  hard  as  either 
sample  in  that  it  contains  more  sandstone  and  is  more  readily  crushed. 
This  stone  is  very  good  for  building  purposes,  for  concrete,  and  other 
uses  where  durability  is  a  requirement.'^ 

Analyses. 


No.  1. 


No.  2. 


Carbonate  of  lime 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 

Oxides  of  iron  and  alumina . 
Insoluble  (silica  and  clay) . . . 


54.59 
41.33 

.85 
2.90 


The  quarry  receives  much  water  from  the  displaced  creek,  but  this  is 
removed  by  pumping  from  a  well  at  one  side.  Tlie  dip  of  the  strata  is 
very  slight  toward  the  south. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

8and  and  gravel. — In  view  of  the  increasing  uses  of  concrete,  Belvi- 
dere  is  fortunate  in  having  near  at  hand  a  large  supply  of  sand  and 
gravel  of  good  quality.  Sand  and  gravel,  in  the  form  of  broad  terraces, 
are  found  extensively  along  all  the  larger  streams  of  Boone  County. 
While  much  may  be  too  clayey  for  good  service,  yet  much  more  is  excel- 
lently adapted  for  concrete  purposes.  Only  the  leading  pits  are  mentioned 
here.  Quite  likely  others  equally  good  may  yet  be  discovered  and 
developed. 

The  largest  bank  now  open  is  on  the  property  of  Charles  Strong,  in 
the  SW.  1/4  SE.  1/4  sec.  27,  T.  44  N.,  E.  3  E.  It  is  on  the  north  edge 
of  the  terrace  south  of  the  Kishwaukee,  II/2  miles  south  of  Belvidere. 
The  open  bank  is  about  i^  mile  long  and  25  to  30  feet  high.  Evidently 
similar  materials  may  be  found  for  miles  along  the  river,  probably 
thinning  out  away  from  the  stream,  with  an  average  width  of  1/4  mile. 

—23  G 


354  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

In  some  places  it  may  be  more  stoney  aucl  others  more  clayey.  These 
general  statements  are  supported  by  facts  given  in  connection  with  the 
banks  enumerated  in  a  later  paragraph.  This  whole  deposit  is  doubtless 
of  glacial  origin;  that  is^  an  outwash^  or  the  work  of  adjacent  streams 
when  flooded  with  the  melting  of  the  neighboring  ice  sheet  during  the 
glacial  period.     This  bank  may  be  considered  typical. 

Description  section.     Ghas.  Strong's  bank. 


Thickness- 
feet. 


8.    Soil  and  sand  clay 

7.    Mostly  medium-sized  gravel  mingled  with  plastering  sand,  with  narrow  pits  or 

cracks  filled  from  the  layer  above 

6.     Gray,  plastering  sand,  cross-bedded  and  uneven  in  thickness 

5.    Sand  and  gra  el,  in  about  equal  proportions,  irregular  in  thickness,  with  wings 

abo  e  and  below 

4.    Plastering  sand,  similar  to  No.  6 

3.    Sand  and  gravel,  like  5,  occurs  bedded  and  gray  in  color 

2.    Gravel,  coarser,  more  uniform,  but  mostly  covered  with  iron  oxide 

1.    Clayey  layers  on  level  with  the  flood-plain 


2J  to  3i 
3    to    4 

1  to  3V 

1  to  3' 

3  to  5 

5  to  6 


This  is  only  a  rough  description  of  a  portion  of  the  bank.  Both  sand 
and  gravel  layers  may  become  thinner  or  divide  or  throw  out  irregular 
wings,  yet  in  general  there  are  about  this  number  of  alternations  of 
sand  and  gravel.  It  is  estimated  that  from  55  to  65  per  cent  of  the 
Strong  bed  is  sand.  Of  the  pebbles,  over  1/2  inch  in  diameter,  80  to 
85  per  cent  are  magnesian  limestone,  10  to  15  per  cent  quartz,  either 
chert  or  quartzite,  and  5  to  10  per  cent  crystalline  rocks  of  various 
kinds,  mainly  diabase  and  granite.  Pebbles  are  from  14  to  2  inches  in 
diameter,  very  few  over  3  inches.  The  average  diameter  would  probably 
be  less  than  1  inch. 

The  sand  effervesces  with  acid,  due  either  to  incrusted  calcite  or  finely 
divided  dolomite.  This  bank  is  the  present  main  supply  for  the  vicinity, 
and  the  material  is  good,  though  it  might  be  improved  by  washing.  The 
rusty  gravel  and  sand  in  the  bottom  of  the  deposits  is  considered  not  so 
good,  except  for  roads.  It  is  used  also  for  sidewalks,  and,  when  set,  the 
color  is  said  not  to  be  materially  affected  by  the  rust. 

The  prices  are  25  cents  per  cubic  yard  at  the  bank,  or  85  cents 
delivered  in  Belvidere.  The  rusty  grade  is  sold  for  15  cents  at  the 
bank.  The  material  is  loaded  into  wagons  with  shovels  at  the  base  of 
the  bank,  the  material  sliding  down  to  that  level.  The  "overload"  slides 
down  in  blocks  and  is  rejected  there,  and  little  or  no  stripping  is  done 
on  the  top.    The  material  is  screened  by  hand  to  suit  the  purchaser. 

There  are  12  acres  of  doubtless  similar  deposits  on  Strong's  land,  and 
probably  as  much  more  in  the  vicinity.  Another  important  bank  is  that 
of  E.  E.  Truesdell,  in  the  NE.  i/4  sec.  27,  about  1  mile  north  of  Strong's. 
This  is  on  the  same  general  sand  plain,  on  a  small,  dry  channel.  It  is 
more  largely  sand;  pebbles  rarely  exceed  I14  inch  and  gravel  is  esti- 
mated to  comprise  only  20  per  cent  of  it.  Tlie  bank  was  not  well  exposed 
when  visited.    The  total  height  is  30  to  35  feet,  of  which  all  but  6  feet 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTUEAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  355 

is  sand  aud  gravel.  The  cover  is  -ii/o  feet  of  soil  and  clayey  sand  over- 
lying about  16  inches  of  brown  sandy  clay  which  is  used  for  lining  flues. 
The  stripping  is  carefully  done  with  wheel-barrow  in  order  to  save  this 
lower  layer,  which  about  pays  the  expense  of  stripping.  The  output  of 
this  bank  is  used  by  Mr.  Truesdell  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial  stone, 
or  concrete  blocks  and  bricks,  in  Belvidere.  Other  pits  or  banks  opened 
and  used  more  or  less,  are  the  following: 

No.  I         Owner.  Location.  i  Material.  Use. 


E.  N.  Lincoln. 
O.J.  Lincoln.. 


I.J.  Crawford. 
Interurban . . . 


T.  44N.,  R.  3E. 

N.  E.  \  sec.  34 Sand  &-6  by  300  feet 

N.  W\  \  sec.  35 !  Sand  6-8  by  180  feet 

T.  44N.,R.  4E.    ! 

N.  E.  isec.  31 Sand  gravel  6-8  by  250  feet 

N.  E.  i  sec.  32 1  Fine  plastering  sand,  4-6  by  150 

feet 

1 


Concrete  piping - 
Concrete  piping. 


BaUast  for  interurban  line . 
Ballast  for  interurban  line. 


All  of  the  pits  have  the  usual  cover  of  soil  and  sandy  alluvium,  3  to  5 
feet  thick.  Xo.  2  showed  less  gravel  than  Strong's  bank;  and  much  of 
the  gravel  of  the  Xo.  4  was  less  than  1/64:  inch  in  diameter.  Of  these 
pebbles  95  per  cent  were  magnesian  limestone,  but  chert  and  diabase 
were  present.  Xo.  3  pit  contained  more  coarse  gravel  and  bowlders.  At 
Xo.  1,  below  the  beds  worked,  was  a  bed  of  yellow  clay  6  inches  to  2  feet 
thick,  and  overlying  more  sand  and  gravel,  the  latter  coarser.  The 
concrete  piping  made  by  the  Lincolns  seemed  to  be  of  very  good  quality. 
Crushed  stone. — As  already  indicated,  crushed  stone  of  good  quality 
may  be  obtained  from  any  of  the  quarries  described  above,  especially 
from  those  in  the  Galena  limestone  formation.  That  from  the  Cincin- 
natian  is  too  brittle  for  best  results.  The  main  source  of  this  material 
is  the  Electric  quarry  already  described.  Here  the  stone  quarried  has 
been  wholly  converted  into  this  material,  equivalent  in  all  to  about 
25,000  cubic  yards.  A  large  crusher  is  carefully  housed  with  other 
machinery,  used  for  pumping  water  and  handling  material.  The  rock 
is  loosened  with  dynamite  and  loaded  into  cars  which  are  drawn  by  cable 
up  an  incline  to  the  crusher.  The  material  may  be  loaded  into  wagons 
for  local  use  or  into  cars  on  spurs  connected  with  the  Chicago  and 
Xorthwestern  Eailway  and  with  the  Eockford  and  Interurban  Electric 
line.  Mr.  Fred  Hall  of  Belvidere  is  secretary  of  the  company  operating 
the  plant.  The  crushed  stone  is  sold  at  85  cents  a  cubic  yard,  or  2,500' 
pounds,  at  the  crusher,  and  $1.25  delivered  in  Belvidere.  This  material 
is  justly  preferred  to  gravel  for'  concrete  purposes,  because  made  of 
virtually  the  same  kind  of  rock  in  a  less  weathered,  and  therefore 
stronger,  form.  Moreover,  the  fragments  are  cleaner  and  more  angular, 
while  the  gravel  is  well  rounded  and  affords  a  less  perfect  hold  for  the 
cement.  It  is  also  preferable  for  roadbeds  for  similar  reasons.  A 
beginning  of  making  crushed  stone  has  been  made  at  the  Spencer 
quarry,  as  already  stated. 


356  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Clay  Products. 

No  brick  or  clay  tiles  are  at  present  made  in  the  region.  Greater 
ease  of  transportation  from  elsewhere,  and  the  growing  mflnence  of 
concrete,  have  rendered  local  efforts  in  this  direction  futile. 

A  word  should  be  said  about  past  accomplishment  and  future  possi- 
bilities. Brick  clays  are  usually  scarce  in  a  glaciated  region  because  ot 
the  general  mixing  up  of  coarser  calcarious  materials  with  clay  sedi- 
ments. This  is  true  of  the  Belvidere  region.  The  only  brick  clays 
found  here  are  the  alluvial  silts  deposited  by  the  streams  on  top  ot  the 
P-lacial  terraces  or  on  the  present  flood-plains.  In  Belvidere,  north  ot 
the  river  and  west  of  State  street,  fairly  good  brick  for  common  uses 
were  formerly  made  from  the  capping  of  the  flood-plain  of  the  Mish- 
waukee.  The  work  was  abandoned  years  ago  and  no  trace  now  seen 
except  the  pits  from  which  the  clay  was  taken,  and  these  are  so  lil  ed 
with  water  and  rubbish  and  vegetation  that  no  good  sample  of  the  clay 
was  obtainable.    The  deposit  was  shallow  and  quite  local. 

Another  brick  yard,  owned  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Van  Epps  was  more  recently 
worked  in  the  SE.  1/4  NE.  1/4  sec.  21,  21/2  miles  northwest  of  Belvidere. 
Here  a  durable  brick  of  uniform  red  color  of  pleasant  tint  was  made  lor 
years,  though  it  was  discontinued  a  few  years  ago.  _The  fu^l^^^^  ^* 
first  ;vas  wood,  but  later  coal.  Several  years  ago  2,000  000  brick  were 
made  a  year,  and  later  1,500,000.  They  were  delivered  at  a  profit  m 
Belvidere  for  $7.50,  kiln-run,  or  $8.00  selected. 

The  material  used  is  a  brownish  or  buff  clay-silt  formed  upon  a  flat 
of  perhaps  50  to  80  acres,  which  was  either  a  glacial  lake  bottoni  or 
possibly  a  capping  of  a  glacial  terrace  The  material  shows  no  effer- 
vescence with  acid  .  It  seems  rather  lacking  m  silica.  It  is  5  to  7  feet 
deep  and  overlies  a  clayey  gravel.  It  was  found  f  .^^^^^.f  ^^^i^^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  clay  to  freezing  after  excavation  before  working  it.  The  product 
was  hauled  by  teams  21/2  miles.  Competition  of  concrete  and  brick 
Lm  other  localities  led  to  the  abandonment  of  the  plant.  If  conditions 
should  change,  this  deposit  may  again  become  productive. 

Materials  for  Plaster. 

Lime  —No  lime  is  now  produced  in  this  region,  though  it  was  formerly 

made  in  considerable   quantities   at  the   Stephenson   quarry,   and   was 

considered  good.     The  statements  made  by   Professor   Daniels  m  his 

Report  bef  or!  mentioned  on  the  stone  of  the  Electric  quarry  would  doub  - 

les^s  apply  to  most  of  the  rock  belonging  to  the  Galena  Innestone  of  this 

vicinitv      He  says:     "The  lime  which  could  be  made  from  this  stone 

would  not  be  a  fat  lime  because  of  the  presence  of  n^^g^]^^;  ^J^^^^^^ 

makes  lime  slow  in  slacking.     This  is  the  property  of  all  hme  made 

Som  stone  quarried  in  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois.     All  limestone 

from  this  section  contains  a  large  percentage  of  magnesium  carbonate 

(dolomitic  limestone).     This  quality  of  lime  can  be  used  for  all  grades 

of  masonry  work." 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      SIEUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  357 

CHICAGO  HEIGHTS. 
Introduction. 

Chicago  Heights  is  situated  in  the  extreme  southeast  part  of  Cook 
County.  The  northern  portion  of  the  town  is  included  in  the  Calumet 
quadrangle  map  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  and  has  been 
described.^  Building  materials  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago  have  also  been 
described.^ 

It  is  evident  from  these  more  extended  observations  that  large  quanti- 
ties of  structural  materials  can  be  had  within  short  distances ;  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  Chicago  Heights^,  however^,  only  common  brick  is 
obtainable. 

Stone. 

Dimension  stone. — Dimension  stone  is  obtained  from  the  Berea  sand- 
cstone  of  Ohio  and  from  the  Bedford  limestone  of  southern  Indiana. 
Some  ornamental  sandstones  have  been  obtained  from  the  Portage  region 
of  Michigan. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Sand. — Sand  is  obtained  at  the  present  time  from  a  town  on  Lake 
Michigan  known  as  Lake  Station.  It  is  delivered  in  Chicago  Heights 
on  cars  for  75  cents  to  $1.00  a  yard,  depending  on  the  quantity. 

Gravel. — Gravel  is  obtained  principally  from  Plainfield,  Illinois,  and 
costs,  on  the  cars  at  Chicago  Heights,  90  cents  a  yard. 

Crushed  rock. — Crushed  rock  is  obtained  from  the  Brownwell  Im- 
provement Co.,  whose  quarry  is  located  about  10  miles  north  of  Chicago 
Heights.  The  rock  is  a  dark-gray,  siliceous,  compact,  dolomite,  used 
extensively  for  foundations  of  buildings  and  the  base  of  brick  pavements. 

At  Chicago  Heights  crushed  rock  costs  $1.00  a  yard. 

Cement. — Cement  is  obtained  through  agencies  of  various  Chicago 
companies. 

Clay  Products. 

Theie  are  two  companies  manufacturing  brick  at  Chicago  Heights : 
the  National  Brick  Co.,  of  Chicago,  and  the  Builders  Brick  Co.,  of  Chi- 
cago Heights.  Both  plants  are  located  about  2  miles  southeast  of  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Eailway  depot. 

At  the  National  Brick  Co.  plant  there  is  about  100  acres  underlain 
by  a  20-foot  structure  of  dark-gray  bowlder-clay,  containing  numerou;-: 
pebbles  from  %  i^^ch  to  6  inches  in  diameter.  The  clay  is  obtained  from 
a  pit  about  800  feet'  long  by  means  of  steam  shovel  and  dump-cars.  The 
cars  of  clay  are  hauled  up  an  incline  by  a  third-rail  system,  to  the  pulver- 


lAlden,  W.  C,  Chicago  folio  (No.  81),  Geol.  Atlas  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey. 

"Alden,  W.  C,  The  stone  industry  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago,  111.:  Bull.  U.  S.  Geol.  Siu-vey,  No.  313, 
p.  357. 

^Burchard,  E.  F.,  Concrete  materials  produced  in  the  Chicago  district:  Bull.  State  Geol.  Sur\-ey  No. 
8,  p.  345.  * 


358  YEAR-BOOK   FOK   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

izing  rollers.  The  equipment  consists  of  two  Chambers,  end-cut,  stiff- 
mud,  machines;  each  having  a  daily  capacity  of  350,000  bricks.  The 
bricks  are  thoroughly  dried  in  two  steam-heated  kilns;  each  having  a 
capacity  of  350,000.  The  burning  shed  is  1,750  feet  long,  and  contains 
10  up-draft  kilns,  each  holding  about  1,000,000  bricks.  Crude  oil  is 
used  exclusively  as  fuel.  A  kiln  containing  1,169,000  bricks  requires 
80  hours  and  21,000  gallons  of  oil.  The  price  at  the  yard  for  these 
bricks  at  the  present  time  is  $4.00  a  thousand. 

The  Builders  Brick  Co.  has  60  acres  of  clay,  averaging  18  feet  m 
thickness  The  equipment  consists  of  one  Andrews,  stiff-mud,  end-cut 
machine,  having  a  capacity  of  250,000  bricks.  These  are  dried  in  open 
sheds  and  burned  in  6  up-draft  kilns,  each  holding  about  250,000  bricks. 
Coal  and  wood  are  used  as  fuel.     The  bricks   are  sold   for  $5.00   a 

thousand.  ..  .  ,  ,    «?  i 

The  bricks  made  at  these  two  plants  have  a  light-butt  or  gray  color. 
They  invariably  show  a  laminar  structure  and  numerous  pebbles.  The 
bricks  are  generally  somewhat  distorted  because  of  irregular  drying  and 
burning,  made  necessary  in  order  to  obtain  as  large  a  production  as 
possible.  The  cheapness  of  the  brick  has  made  it  possible  for  the  large 
concerns  to  compete  in  almost  any  portion  of  the  State. 

Materials  for  Mortars  and  Plasters. 
Materials  used  for  mortars  and  plasters  are,  obtained  entirely  from 
Chicago. 


DANVILLE. 

Introduction. 

The  "Coal  Measures"  which  constitute  the  bed  rock  of  the  region 
under  consideration,  have  very  little  building  stone.  Gravel  and  sand 
are  generally  mixed  with  silt  or  loam,  so  that  they  are  not  of  fii-st  quality 
The  pebbles  are  mostly  of  impure  limestone,  with  a  noticeable  amount 
of  shale  and  ochery  material,  hence  it  is  not  first  class,-though  very 
serviceable  for  common  plastering  and  for  cement  sidewalks.  The  shales 
are  thick  and  widely  exposed,  and  of  varying  charac  er.  Ihese  tacts, 
with  the  abundant  coal  at  hand,  afford  unusual  facilities  for  making 
all  kinds  of  brick  and  clay  products. 

Stone. 
Excepting  glacial  bowlders  and  a  thin  stratum  of  rusty  calcareous 
sandstone  of  uneven  thickness  and  of  variable  quality,  no  building  stone^ 
are  found  near  Danville.  The  sandstone  is  mainly  quite  shaly,  though 
some  durable  layers,  a  foot  or  more  in  thickness,  were  l^^^d/^^^^J^^/^^^ 
for  foundation  stone.  All  stratified  rocks  of  the  region  belong  to  the 
"Coal  Measures"  or  Pennsylvanian  series. 


udden  and  todd]     structural  materials  in  illinois.  359 

Sand  and  Gilivel. 

Sand  and  gravel  are  extensively  found  occupying  the  high  terraces 
along  the  Big  Vemiilion  River  and  its  tributaries,  70  to  80  feet  above 
the  present  stream.  This  is  particularly  true  of  the  region  outside  of  the 
Blbomington  moraine,  or  extending  from  the  hills  north  of  Danville 
southward  along  the  stream.  The  city  itself  is  located  on  the  flat  surface 
of  this  terrace,  which  was  originally  two  miles  in  width,  and  extended 
from  the  east  of  Stoney  Creek  to  the  higher  bluffs  west  and  south  of  the 
Big  Vermilion.  Below  a  capping  of  soil  and  loam,  the  deposit  of  sand 
and  gravel  liefs  from  10  to  15  feet  thick,  the  bottom  resting  generally  on 
pebbly  clay  or  till,  but  often  on  the  Carboniferous  shale.  This  deposit 
is  the  common  source  of  gravel  and  sand,  but  there  is  another  deposit 
of  sand,  sometimes  exposed,  underlying  the  former.  It  fills  much  of  the 
deep  pre-glacial  channel,  which,  according  to  the  statement  of  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey  in  the  Danville  folio,  extended  past  Danville  Junc- 
tion, southeastward  along  Stoney  Creek  to  the  mouth  of  Grape  Creek. 
This  channel  was  largely  filled  with  sand  and  gravel,  quite  similar  in 
general  character  to  that  capping  the  terrace  which  overlies  it.  Excava- 
tions in  the  sand  and  gravel  were  examined  in  Hungry  Hollow  near  the 
northwest  corner  of  T.  19  W.,  E.  11  W.,  about  2  miles  northwest  of 
Danville;  also  along  the  Vermilion,  southeast  of  Danville;  and  southeast 
of  Batestown,  as  well  as  Bridgett's  sand  pit  in  the  eastern  part  of  sec. 
16  of  the  above  mentioned  township.  As  this  last  includes  l)oth  the 
upper  and  lower  deposits,  it  may  be  described  as  typical.  Morever,  it  is 
as  well  exposed  as  any,  and  is  at  present  the  main  source  of  supply  for 
the  city. 

Descriptive  section  Bridgetfs  sand  pit. 


9.    Soil  and  rusty  sand  with  some  pebbles 

8.    Sand  and  gravel,  the  latter  prominent 

7.    Plastering  sand  with  few  pebbles , 

6.  Three  or  four  cross-stratified  layers  of  pebbly  plastering  sand,  possibly  15  per  cent 
gravel  ^  to  1  inch  in  diameter;  very  few  pebbles  over  1  inch  though  occasional  bow- 
lders are  present 

5.     Fine  plastering  sand 

4.    Yellow  and  blue  pebbly  clay,  the  former  above,  and  more  or  less  stratified 

3.  Cross-bedded  fine  gravel  and  sand,  considerably  cemented  into  hard  pan,  gravel 
forming  possibly  20  per  cent 

2.    Gray  plastering  sand  with  few  pebbles 

1.    Gravelly  sand,  mostly  hidden  by  talus 


Thickness- 
feet. 


3  to  5 
2  to  3 
1  to  1| 


7  to  8 
1  to  1-1 
4  to  7 

7  to  8 

.2 

3  to  5 


The  bottom  of  the  pit  and  top  of  the  ground  water  is  a  few  feet  above 
the  level  of  Stoney  Creek,  nearby.  No.  4  forms  a  firm  bottom  for  the 
upper  pit,  but  is  a  hinderance  in  working  the  lower  pit,  because  of  its 
massive  character.  There  seems  to  be  little  difference  in  quality  of 
material  in  the  upper  and  the  lower  portions  of  the  pit,  except  that  the 
lower  is  somewhat  hardened  by  the  infiltration  of  calcareous  matter,  and 
also  contains  less  loamy  and  shaly  impurities.    Because  of  greater  acces- 


3f)0 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[BULL.  NO.  16 


sibility  and  greater  ease  of  handling,  the  upper  bed  is  the  most  worked. 
The  exposed  bank  of  the  upper  portion  is  13  feet  high  and  100  yards 
long.  A  few  rods  away  another  pit,  about  50  yards  long  and  8  feet  deep 
has  been  opened  on  the  same  level.  1  was  informed  that  a  sample  of  the 
material  from  this  sand  pit  had  been  submitted  to  some  government 
officials  at  Washington,  who  replied  that  it  would  grade  at  about  85  per 
cent,  compared  with  the  best  gravels.  The  lower  pit  shows  a  working 
face  of  about  15  feet  of  sand  and  gravel,  and  a  length  of  25  or  30  yards. 
The  stripping  of  the  upper  bank  is  with  scraper.  In  the  lower,  the 
masses  of  blue  clay  are  broken  by  blasting  and  removed  after  rolling  to 
the  bottom  of  the  bank.  The  lower  level  is  used  for  sand  because  it  can 
be  obtained  separate  more  easily,  the  gravel  layers  being  held  by  consoli- 
dation. Stratum  2  consists  mostly  of  sharp  quartz  grains  1/100-3/100 
inch  in  diameter.  In  all  sand  and  gravel  of  the  region,  except  in 
occasional  limited  strata,  there  is  enough  admixture  of  loam  to  soil  the 
hands  and  make  the  grains  slippery  when  wet.  Morever,  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  pebbles  and  grains  are  of  shaly  or  of  soft  ochery  clay- 
stone.  A  careful  estimate  of  a  sample  of  nearly  pure  gravel  from  Hungry 
Hollow,  of  the  better  grade,. gave  the  following  percentages  by  bulk: 


Diameter  of  grains- 

nches. 

Per  cent. 

Less  than  i 

\-i ■ 

11 

7 
81 

^n 

Subdivided,  the  latter  consists  of:—            .                                                                        i 

63 

8 

3.5 

3 

5 

A  sample  from  the  upper  part  of  the  Bridgett  pit,  which  may  be  con- 
sidered average  had  the  following  composition : 

Diameter  of  grains- 

inches. 

Per  cent. 

Less  than  { 

85  -90 
10  -15 

I  to  1 

The  latter  consisting  of  :— 

Limestone,  i  dolomite 

4-5 
U-3 

Indm-ated  clay  or  shale — '.'.'.'.'... 

2  -:i 
1-1 

\-h 

The  prices  at  the  Bridgett  pit  are,  for  the  unscreened  material,  2o 
cents  per  cubic  yard  or  load;  screened  40  cents.  The  material  is  used 
in  the  city  for  concrete  mainly,  for  sidewalks,  also  for  plastering.  It  is 
too  fine  and  clayey  to  serve  well  on  roads.  .^r  u    i,  ^r  n 

For  more  important  works,  gravel  is  obtained  from  the  Wabash  Valley, 
near  Covington,  or  Williamsport,  Ind. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


361 


Brick. 

The  strong  point  in  structural  materials  for  Danville  is  the  abundance 
of  good  brick  material.  It  is  said  that  formerly  the  Pleistocene  or  drift 
clays  were  used  for  brick  and  tile^  but  that  work  has  long  since  discon- 
tinued. The  gray  shale^  which  abounds  in  the  Pennsylvanian^  is  well 
adapted  to  produce  brick  for  all  purposes.  Of  this  there  is  an  enormous 
supply  from  two  horizons,  one  just  above  the  Danville  coal  bed,  or 
"No.  7,"  and  the  other  just  below  it.  Three  brick  plants  are  now 
operating. 


Location. 

From 

Danville 

miles. 

Company. 

Sec. 

T.N.         R.  W.. 

Danville  Brick  Co 

7 

12 

N.  W.  i  7 

19 

11 
12 
11 

us.w. 

2§W. 

1  w. 

Western  Brick  Co     .' 

The  Danville  Brick  Co.  is  the  oldest  company,  being  over  ten  years 
old.  Though  for  a  time  vitrified  brick  of  common  form  was  made, 
paving  brick  is  now  made  exclusively.  The  material  is  taken  from  a 
stratum  80  feet  in  thickness,  below  the  Danville  coal.  It  is  claimed  that 
the  material  is  virtually  the  same  for  the  whole  80  feet,  and  no  material 
difference  was  noticed  except  that  about  60  feet  from  the  bottom  is  a 
more  stony  layer  of  about  a  foot  in  thickness,  and  10  feet  higher  is  a 
layer  of  coal  12  to  14  inches  thick.  The  overburden  which  covers  only 
a  portion  of  the  shale  is  3  to  4  feet  of  gravely  clay,  or  till.  The  quantity 
of  material  available  is  90  acres,  at  least  80  feet  thick,  and  a  boring 
nearby  is  said  to  have  found  no  particular  difference  to  a  depth  of  200 
feet. 

The  shale  is  gray,  fine-grained,  gritty,  and  micaceous.  It  is  first 
blasted,  then  with  a  steam  shovel  is  placed  in  cars  which  are  drawn  by 
cable  up  an  incline  to  the  mill.  The  plant  is  furnished  with  up-to-date 
machinery,  has  a  capacity  of  60,000-11  pound  bricks  a  day.  The  bricks 
are  about  twice  the  size  of  common  bricks.  Four  grades  are  made, 
ranging  in  price  from  $7.50  to  $16.50  a  thousand.  The  color  of  the 
brick  is  dark  chocolate.  There  is  track  room  for  30  cars  in  the  yard ;  and 
shipments  are  made  to  points  within  a  radius  of  200  miles. 

The  Western  Brick  Co.,  began  work  over  nine  years  ago,  and  is  now 
the  greatest  producer  of  building  brick  in  the  region.  It  uses  a  soft- 
gray  shale,  lying  just  above  the  Danville  coal,  "No.  7."  It  is  18  to  50 
feet  thick,  averaging  30  feet,  and  underlies  350  acres.  The  overburden 
is  1  to  30  feet  in  thickness,  averaging  18  feet,  and  is  almost  entirely 
loose  gravel  and  sand.  This  is  removed  by  hydraulic  process  into  the 
exhausted  parts  of  the  excavation.  The  shale  is  excavated  without  blast- 
ing, by  means  of  a  steam  shovel,  which  takes  the  whole  thickness  of  the 
shale,  30  feet,  at  one  sweep,  and  places  it  in  cars  which  are  drawn  by 
pony  engines  to  the  foot  of  the  incline,  up  which  they  are  drawn  by 
cable.    Below  the  shale  is  a  6-foot  layer  of  good  coal,  which  is  then  taken 


362  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

up  aud  used  for  burning  the  brick.  The  supply  is  supplemented  from 
a  mine  across  the  river  on  the  same  property.  Very  complete  and  modern 
methods  are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  brick,  cliff e rent  methods 
being  used  in  different  cases,  and  unusual  economy  is  used  in  the 
arrangement  of  details  of  the  plant. 

The  shale  exposure  has  an  average  height  of  30  feet  and  a  length  of 
4,000  feet.  Large  blocks  of  the  material  are  isolated,  and  the  center  of 
excavation  passes  around  them  in  order, — first  stripping,  second  the 
excavation  of  shale,  third  the  removal  of  coal,  leaving  space  for  the 
stripping  of  the  next  circuit,  and  so  on.  The  full  capacity  of  the  plant 
is  given  at  3  millions  a  day,  and  an  actual  production  of  75  millions  a 
year.  There  are  56  kilns  in  use.  The  bricks  made  are  both  the  common 
building  brick,  solid  and  hollow,  and  30  different  kinds  of  facing  brick, 
differing  in  color  from  red  to  black.  They  vary  in  porosity,  or  absorp- 
tion of  water  in  24  hours,  from  11.6  per  cent  to  1.5  per  cent,  and  iu 
crushing  strength,  from  9,500  pounds  to  13,950  pounds  per  square  inch. 
Brick  may  be  loaded  in  the  yard,  where  there  is  room  for  60  cars  on  the 
track  at  a  time. 

Another  brick  yard  is  in  operation,  the  Landauer  &  Sewell  Co.  It  is 
owned  by  S.  F.  Sully  of  Danville.  The  material  is  from  the  same  hori- 
zon as  that  of  the  Danville  Brick  Co.  The  pit  is  about  70  yards  long, 
30  yards  wide  and  40  feet  in  depth,  including  2  or  3  layers  of  sandstone 
towards  the  top.  It  is  now  down  to  the  level  of  the  river  and  might  go 
indefinitely  deeper.  The  capacity  of  the  plant  is  50,000  bricks  a  week, 
running  3  kilns  only.  The  output  is  common  building  brick,  shading 
from  red  to  black,  the  latter  being  made  a  specialty.  Prices  range  from 
$6.00  to  $12.00  per  thousand  at  the  kiln.  The  output  is  sold  locally, 
and  there  are  no  railroad  shipping  facilities  in  the  yard. 


DIXON. 

Introduction. 

Geologically,  Dixon  is  similar  to  the  region  ajound  La  Salle,  except 
that  rocks  of  Pennsylvanian  or  "Coal  Measure'^  age  are  absent.  The 
Ordovician  rocks,  especially  those  of  the  Galena-Trenton  formations 
are  typically  developed.  Along  the  bluffs  of  Rock  River,  a  few  miles 
north  of  Dixon,  exposures  occur  of  the  St.  Peter  sandstone, — the  forma- 
tion worked  so  extensively  at  Utica  and  Ottawa  for  glass  sand.  The 
hard  rocks  are  covered  by  drift  consisting  of  bowlder  clay,  sand,  and 
gravel,  and  varying  in  thickness  from  a  few  feet  to  200  feet.  Local 
structural  materials  are  but  little  used,  though  there  is  an  abundance  of 
limestone,  sand,  and  gravel.  Yery  little  of  the  limestone  is  used  for 
concrete  work,  but  sand  and  gravel  are  preferred.  Crushed  stone  has, 
however,  been  used  extensively  on  the  roads  together  with  some  sand 
and  gravel.  There  are  no  local  clay  products.  A  large  cement  plant 
is  operated  north  of  Dixon  by  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co. 


udden  andtoddj     structural  materials  in  illinois.  36b 

Stone  for  Building. 

In  the  past,  dimension  stone  obtained  from  a  quarry  on  the  E.  M. 
Truman  place,  about  2  miles  north  of  North  Dixon,  was  used  exten- 
sively for  the  construction  of  buildings, — notably  the  opera  house, — and 
for  bridge  piers  on  Eock  River.  At  present  no  dimension  stone  is 
quarried  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  stone  used  for 
buildings  comes  from  the  Bedford  limestone  region  of  Indiana. 

The  Truman  quarry  located  in  the  SE.  %  sec.  21,  T.  22  N.,  E.  9  E., 
has  possibilities  of  commercial  development.  The  circular  working  face 
is  about  150  feet  in  diameter.  The  limestone  varies  between  40  and  52 
feet  in  thickness,  under  an  overburden  consisting  mostly  of  yellow, 
sandy  clay,  averaging  about  6  feet  in  thickness.  The  rock  dips  about 
3°  to  the  northwest.  There  are  numerous  joints;  the  prominent  ones 
having  a  direction  N.  50°  E.,  and  S.  60°  E.,  and  the  smaller  ones  cross- 
ing these  at  right  angles.  The  larger  joints  occur  about  15  feet  apart, 
while  some  of  the  smaller  ones  are  within  a  couple  of  feet  of  each  other. 
As  a  rule,  the  limestone  is  light-gray  in  color,  fine-grained,  compact, 
and  evenly  bedded.  The  ledges  near  the  top  of  the  quarry  average  about 
6  inches  thick,  while  others  near  the  base  attain  a  thickness  of  4  feet. 
In  portions  of  the  lower  ledges  occur  some  scattered  nodules  of  chert. 

The  development  of  a  good  quarry  for  building  stone,  at  this  place 
seems  entirely  possible.  Transportation  could  be  furnished  by  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Eailroad,  which  passed  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the 
west.  There  is  an  abundance  of  limestone  along  the  river  bluff,  with 
thin  overburden  which  could  be  removed  hydraulically. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  material  for  concrete.  There  is  a  large 
quantity  of  crushed  stone  and  likewise  of  sand  and  gravel,  which  may  be 
preferred  because  of  its  lower  price. 

Among  the  sand  and  gravel  pits  in  the  vicinit}^,  those  of  the  following 
men  are  the  most  important: 

A.  C.  Bardwell. 

J.  W.  Kelley. 

Dr.  Ives. 

Mr.   Boyer. 

Mr.  Scholtz. 

Tryon  Rosebrook. 

The  pits  operated  by  the  first  four  of  the  list  are  located  about  a  mile 
west  of  the  post  office.  The  Kelley  property,  covering  about  3%  acres, 
is  probably  the  best  developed,  and  contains  more  clean  sand  and  gravel 
than  any  of  the  others,  mainly  because  there  is  only  about  one  foot  of 
stripping.  The  top  bed  of  gravel,  varying  in  thickness  from  a  few  inches 
to  5  feet,  consists  mostly  of  chert  and  limestone  pebbles,  ranging  from 
1/4  inch  to  li/2inches  in  diameter.  Pebbles  exceeding  4  to  6  inches  are 
rare.  Underneath  this  gravel  there  is  a  bed  of  sand  averaging  about  6 
feet  in  thickness.     It  is  sharp,  free  from  silt,  and  contains  very  few 


364  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

dark-colored  grains.  About  three  loads  of  sand  and  gravel  are  obtained 
each  day  by  shovels,  and  wlien  hauled  to  Dixon  bring  $1.00  for  l^i 
yards. 

Mr.  Scholtz'  pit  is  located  about  3  miles  southwest  of  Dixon,  and  that 
of  Mr.  Rosebrook,  about  3i/^  miles  northeast  of  Dixon.  These  pits  are 
situated  on  the  uplands  where  the  character  of  the  material  is  somewhat 
different.  There  is  less  sand  and  more  gravel  present;  and  the  gravel 
has  a  greater  abundance  of  large  pebbles.  All  has  a  darker  color  than 
the  material  on  Rock  River  bottoms.  The  material  from  the  uplands  is 
used  mainly  on  the  highways,  and  sells  at  the  pits  for  25  cents  for  li/o 
yards. 

Crushed  stone. — An  abundance  of  crushed  stone  is  available  from  the 
Galena-Trenton  limestone  that  is  so  commonly  exposed  in  this  vicinity. 
Many  quarries  have  been  in  operation  at  different  times,  but  at  present 
tlieir  use  is  very  irregular.     Crushed  rock  sells  at  $1.25  per  yard. 

To  the  north  of  Dixon  there  are  seven  quarries,  of  which  some  are  in 
use  and  others  are  abandoned.  The  first  quarry  along  the  river  road  is 
controlled  and  operated  by  the  City  of  Dixon.  It  is  located  in  a  small 
ravine  on  the  edge  of  town,  about  1  mile  northeast  of  the  post  office,  in 
the  SW.  14  sec.  33.  The  quarry  is  about  250  feet  long,  and  exposes 
about  25  feet  of  brown,  magnesian  limestone.  The  lower  15  feet  is 
coarse  and  uneven-grained.  On  first  appearance  there  seems  to  be  3  or 
4  thick  layers  of  limestone,  but  closer  inspection  shows  numerous  small 
ledges.  On  weathering,  this  portion  breaks  into  small,  irregular,  frag- 
ments of  varying  sizes.  In  a  few  places  small  nodules  of  chert  were 
observed.  Above  this  bottom  limestone,  there  is  a  prominent  band  of 
chert,  varying  in  thickness  from  2  to  6  inches.  Above  the  chert  occurs 
10  feet  of  thin-bedded  limestone,  alternating  with  bands  of  chert.  These 
ledges  vary  in  thickness  from  2  to  8  inches,  and  consist  of  finer-grained, 
dense,  compact,  limestone.  It  weathers  to  a  rough  surface  having  a 
dark-brown  color.  Over  portions  of  the  exposed  and  weathered  quarry- 
face  there  is  a  thin  film  of  magnesium  carbonate. 

The  equipment  of  this  quarry  consists  of  an  Aurora  No.  40  portable 
crusher,  operated  by  a  traction  engine.  The  usable  crushed  rock  passes 
over  a  single  stationary  screen,  adjustable  to  y2  inch  or  1  inch  size. 
The  product  is  used  entirely  on  the  highways. 

About  three-fourths  mile  further  u])  the  road  there  is  an  abandoned 
quarry,  now  the  property  of  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co.  The 
rock  face  is  about  150  feet  long  and  froip  15  to  20  feet  high. 

About  three-fourths  mile  north  of  the  above  place  is  the  main  quarry 
of  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co.  Different  parts  have  been  worked 
so  that  at  the  present  time  there  are  about  10  acres  under  development. 
IngersoU-Rand  steam  drills  are  used.  Tbe  rock  is  then  blasted  and  loaded 
into  self-dump  pit-cars  by  steam  shovel.  It  is  then  hauled  to  the  cement 
mill  by  a  small  steam  engine.  The  rock  varies  from  25  to  40  feet  in 
thickness,  and  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  in  the  City  quarry,  and  that 
in  the  Bennett  quarry  which  is  described  later. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  865 

In  the  NE.  l^  sec.  21,  there  is  au  abaiidoued  quarry,  now  belonging 
to  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co.,  and  formerly  operated  by  Mr. 
Fuller. 

In  the  NW.  %  sec.  22,  about  3  miles  north  of  Dixon,  there  is  another 
quarry  occasionally  operated  by  H.  Bennett.  It  is  about  150  feet  long, 
and  the  limestone  averages  about  30  feet  thick.  It  is  both  fine  and 
medium-grained,  the  lower  ledges  being  somewhat  sandy.  The  follow- 
ing section  gives  a  general  idea  of  the  limestone  quarried : 


Thickness — 
feet. 


Upper  portion  di'ift  covered ;  small  exposures  resembling  the  material  described  below . . 
Very  fossiliferous,  light-gray,  thin  bedded,  shaly  limestone.    \Veathers  to  light-bufC  and 

disintegrates  rapidly.    Ledges  mostly  thin,  one  to  three  inches,  with  rough  bedding 

planes 

Light-gray,  fine-grained,  subcrystaUine  limestone  in  beds  3  to  12  inches  thick.    Evenly 

bedded,  and  without  shaly  partings.    Has  a  greater  tendency  to  break  perpendicular 

to  bedding  planes  at  short  intervals.    Weathers  to  a  smooth  surface,  with  a  drab  color. 

This  is  about  the  best  portion  of  the  quarry 

Light-gray,  fine-grained,  subcrystaUine  limestone,  containing  small  pockets  of  calcite. 

On  weathering  gives  an  irregular  banding  of  buff  and  gray 

Dark-brown,  medium-grained,  sandy  limestone.  Massive,  in  two  ledges  about  36  inches 

thick.    Bedding  planes  smooth 

Talus  to  level  of  highway 


20 


There  are  no  permanent  improvements  at  this  quarry,  but  whenever 
desirable  a  portable  crusher  is  moved  to  the  place. 

In  the  SW.  %  sec.  15  there  is  an  abandoned  quarry  formerly  operated 
by  Mr.  Hetler. 

In  the  SE.  l^  sec.  2G,  about  3I/2  miles  northeast  of  the  post  office, 
there  is  a  quarry  operated  by  Lee  Hart.  The  face  is  about  200  feet 
long  and  the  stone  averages  20  feet  in  thickness.  The  lower  12  feet  con- 
sists of  ledges  about  36  inches  thick.  The  upper  6  to  8  feet  consists  of 
thin-bedded  ledges  varying  from  2  to  6  inches  in  thickness.  It  is  a  mas- 
sive, coarse-grained,  magnesian  limestone  which  is  gray  when  fresh  but 
brown  when  weathered.  The  more  prominent  joints  in  the  quarry  trend 
]Sr.  65°  E.,  and  occur  4  to  6  feet  apart.  Smaller  joints  cross  these  at 
right  angles.  The  equipment  at  this  quarry  consists  of  an  Aurora  Xo. 
40  crusher  and  a  single  stationary  screen  with  openings,  either  I/2  or  1 
inch  in  diameter.  Only  the  stone  passing  over  the  screens  is  loaded,  and 
it  is  used  mostly  on  highways. 

Another  quarry  is  located  west  of  the  Illinois  Central,  about  a  mile 
south  of  the  Dixon  depot.  The  limestone  is  exposed  along  a  125-foot 
face,  and  averages  about  23  feet  thick.  The  overburden  is  yellow,  sandy, 
clay  varying  in  thickness  from  4  to  5  feet.  The  upper  10  feet  is  a 
weathered,  magnesian  limestone,  containing  numerous  chert  bands  from 
2  to  5  inches  thick.  The  lower  18  feet  is  a  brown,  medium-grained 
limestone  occurring  in  ledges  from  8  to  30  inches  in  thickness,  and  con- 
taining small  nodules  of  chert.  There  is  no  permanent  equipment  at 
this  quarry,  but  it  would  be  a  suitable  location  for  production  of  crushed 
stone,  with  shipment  over  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  which  passes  the 
place.  The  rock  obtained  so  far  has  been  used  principally  for  highway 
construction. 


36f) 


YEAR   BOOK   FOR   1909. 


fBULL.   NO.  16 


The  numerous  exposures  and  the  good  transportation  facihties  m 
this  vicinity  offer  openings  for  modern  quarries,  especially  for  crushed 
rock  The  quarry  on  the  Truman  place,  already  described  as  oftenng 
good  dimension  stone,  would  also  produce  rubble  and  a  good  grade  of 

crushed  rock.  _    ,,      .   rn         ±  n      •      -4-, 

Cement— The  plant  of  the  Sandusky  Portland  Cement  Co.  is  situ- 
ated about  2  miles  north  of  Dixon  along  Kock  Eiver.  The  limestone 
used  belongs  geologically  to  the  Platteville  beds  of  the  Ordovician. 
Certain  ledges,  too  high  in  the  content  of  magnesia  are  avoided  _  m 
quarrying.  In  the  S\f .  Va  sec.  27,  T.  22  ¥.,  E.  9  E.,  the  following 
section  was  noted: 


3     Thin-bedded,  bluish,  fossiliferous  limestone  (C  5a)  


Thickness- 
feet. 


In  another  part  of  the  quarry  the  following  section  was  observed: 


Thickness- 
feet. 


Yellow  clay  with  some  sand 

iSs^s^wSsS 

layers.    (S  46e) 


4  to  7 
2  to  3 
4  to  6 


Another  locality  in  the  NB.  1/4  sec.  18,  T.  23  N.,  R.  9  E.,  showed  the 
following  section: 


3     Flinty,  fine-grained,  compact,  subcrystalline  dolomite 
2     Variably-bedded  limestone,  with  an  occasional  clay  seam . 
1*.    Heavy-bedded,  buff-blue  limestone  (C  6) 


Thickness- 
feet. 


Analyses  of  the  samples  collected  by  the  State  Geological  f^vey  from 
the  various  portions  of  limestone  and  designated  by  numbers  md.cate 
the  variation  in  the  amount  of  CaO  and  MgO. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


867 


Sample  No. 


C5a. 


C5b. 


C6. 


46c. 


S46d. 


Loss  on  ignition 
Si02 

CaO 

MgO 

H^OatlOS".... 

CaCO^SiO^... 
Fe^O^  AP03... 

CaC03 

MgC03 


40.68 

5.52 

3.66 

49.62 

.68 

.20 


41.70 
3.44 
3.88 

48.92 

1.98 

.16 


43.72 

4  50 

4.60 

36.98 

11.22 

.11 


40.54 
7.56 
3.54 

48.48 


41.94 
5.10 
2.58 

45.84 

4.58 

.25 


41.92 
4.78 
4.44 

47.04 

2.40 

.14 


5.52 

3.66 

88.54 

1.42 


3.44 

3.88 

87.29 

4.14 


4.50 

4.60 

65.98 

23.45 


7.56 

3.54 

86.50 

1.25 


5.10 

2.58 

81.79 

9.57 


4.78 

4.44 

83.93 

5.02 


For  mixture  with  limestone  in  the  manufacture  of  cement  the  com- 
pany uses  a  yellow  clay  or  loess,  which  varies  in  thickness  from  4  to  6 
feet.     In  general,  its  composition  is  as  follows: 


Per  cent. 


Loss  on  ignition 

SiO* 

A1'03 

Fe'O' 


4.00 
74.00 
14.00 

4.00 


This  clay  is  dried  in  rotary  kilns  before  it  is  mixed  with  the  limestone. 
The  limestone  is  first  run  through  a  No.  8  McCully  crusher,  then 
passed  over  two  screens,  and  crushed  again  in  two  i\o.  5  McCully 
crushers.  It  is  afterwards  put  through  dryers,  and  then  through  Will- 
iams mills.  At  this  stage  correct  proportions  of  dried  clay  and  lime- 
stone determined  by  analysis  are  weighed  out  on  automatic  scales.  The 
mixture  is  then  ground  in  a  Fuller  mill  and  afterwards  in  tube  mills. 
It  passes  next  to  the  kilns,  which  are  six  in  number  and  8  feet  in 
diameter  and  100  feet  long.  The  clinker  is  put  through  rotary  coolers 
and  afterwards  into  Kent  mills.  The  partially  ground  clinker  can  be 
sent  to  storage  or  to  the  tube  mills  for  final  grinding.  The  finished 
product  is  put  up  in  sacks  and  placed  in  the  storage  warehouse. 

The  capacity  of  the  plant  is  2,000  barrels  a  day.  On  an  average 
180  pounds  of  clay  is  used  to  every  1,500  pounds  of  limestone.  While 
it  is  said  that  much  more  time  is  needed  to  burn  this  mixture  than 
one  which  contains  shale,  on  account  of  the  great  amount  of  silica,  it 
is  also  said  that  the  high  content  of  silica  gives  the  cement  great  tensile 
strength.  A  couple  of  sets  of  tests  on  the  cement  made  recently  in  the 
hiboratory  gave  the  following  results : 


Day. 

July  13, 1909. 

July  12,  1909. 

Cement.    ^  Mixture. 

i 

Cement. 

i  Mixture. 

1         

276 
721 
922 

270 

285 
714 
802 

303 

28             

405 

425 

368  YEAR   BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Clay  Products. 

As  already  stated,  no  clay  products  are  manufactured  at  Dixon. 
Nearly  all  of  the  common  building  brick  comes  from  the  National 
Brick  Co.,  or  the  Chicago  Brick  Co.,  or  the  Illinois  Brick  Co., — all  of 
Chicago.  The  finer  grade  of  brick  usually  comes  from  the  La  Salle 
Pressed  Brick  Co.  of  LaSalle.  The  price  per  thousand  of  common 
and  of  pressed  bricks  on  the  cars  at  Dixon  is  $6.00  to  $7.00  and  $18.00 
respectively. 

Materials  for  Mortar  and  Cement. 

Lime. — At  present  lime  is  not  burned  at  Dixon  but  is  shipped  in 
principally  from  Chicago  and  Dubuque.  Formerly  considerable  lime 
was  burned  from  the  magnesian  limestone,  and  remnants  of  old  kilns 
are  still  to  be  seen  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Truman  quarry. 

Gypsum: — Gypsum  is  all  furnished  by  the  United  States  Gypsum 
Co.,  and  comes  mainly  from  Chicago. 

Sand. — Sand  is  available  at  Dixon,  as  already  described. 


GREENVILLE. 

Introduction. 

Greenville,  the  county  seat  of  Bond  County,  is  situated  chiefly  on  a 
series  of  hills  or  knolls  which  run  NE.  to  SW.  and  represent  a  moraine. 
These  knolls  furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  sand  and  gravel,  overlain 
by  loess,  which  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  dry-pressed  brick.  Only 
these  structural  materials  are  available  at  Greenville.  Others  ar.e 
shipped  in. 

Stone. 

Dimension  Stone. — Since  there  are  no  exposures  of  limestone  at 
Greenville,  dimension  stone  is  obtained  from  Bedford,  Indiana. 

Material  for  Concrete. 

Sand. — Sand  is  abundant  at  Greenville,  and  at  present  is  hauled  for 
building  purposes,  by  three  persons,  namely : 

DISTANCE  FROM  GREENVILLE. 
MILES. 

Charles    Bwing    . . ; %     NW. 

W.   Sherman    %     NW. 

M.  A.  Reddick V2     NW. 

The  pits  cover  4  to  5  acres  and  the  material  exposed  at  all  is  much 
the  same.  It  consists  of  sand  and  "cement  gravel,"  mixed  irregularly 
and  measuring  20  to  30  feet  in  thickness.  Sand  predominates  and 
gravel  is  limited  to  pockets  or  streaks  about  2  feet  thick  and  4  or  5 
feet  wide.     The  gravel  occurs  commonly  as  loose  pebbles  averaging  i/o 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


869 


inch  and  hardly  exceeding  1  inch  in  diameter;  it  also  occurs,  mixed 
with  sand,  in  cemented  layers.  The  sand  is  light-gray  to  brown  in 
color  and  is  calcareous.  It  consists  of  sharp,  angular  grains  of  quartz, 
chert,  limestone,  and  igneous  minerals.  Mechanical  analyses  were  made 
of  two  samples,  A  and  B,  obtained  from  the  Ewing  and  the  Sherman 
pits  by  digging  from  a  face  8  feet  high  and  3  inches  wide. 


Retained  on 

Sample  A.— 
per  cent. 

Sample  B.— 
per  cent. 

20  mesh 

33.92 

51.78 

11.60 

1.33 

.44 

.89 

13.22 

40  mesh 

59.50 

60  mesh .          

25.61 

80  mesh 

1.03 

100  mesh 

.41 

Pan 

1.03 

Total 

99.96 

100.80 

The  Ewing  pit  has  an  overburden  of  brown,  sandy  loam,  6  to  7  feet 
thick,  which  has  been  used  sparingly  as  molding  sand. 

The  price  of  common  sand  is  25  cents  per  yard  at  the  various  pits,  or 
65  cents  per  yard  when  delivered  in  town.  The  very  fine  gravel  is  used 
on  the  construction  of  sidewalks  and  cement  blocks,  and  generally  brings 
35  cents  a  yard  at  the  pit  and  80  cents  a  yard  delivered. 

Granjel. — Gravel  is  obtained  from  a  pit  located  about  %  mile  south- 
west of  the  present  postoffice  and  worked  by  Charles  Vahrenhold.  There 
is  about  four  acres  of  gravel  averaging  10  feet  thick  and  consisting 
chiefly  of  medium-sized  limestone  pebbles.  The  overburden  is  yellow, 
sandy  loam,  varying  up  to  10  feet  in  thickness.  All  the  material  is 
very  calcareous  and  stained  more  or  less  brown.  Intermingled  with 
the  gravel  are  many  small  seams  of  decomposed  coaly  matter.  The 
sizes  of  this  gravel  and  sand,  as  determined  by  mechanical  analysis  of 
a  sample  weighing  144  ounces,  is  as  follows : 


Retained  on. 

Per  cent. 

20  mesh 

57.63 

40  mesh               ....                                                          

35  40 

60  mesh 

6.15 

80  mesh                                                                                                          

.35 

100  mesh  

.15 

Pan - 

.15 

Total 

99  83 

Gravel  sells  at  the  pit  for  35  cents  a  yard  and  delivered  for  80  cents. 

Molding  sand. — Mr.  Charles  Vahrenhold  also  works  a  molding  sand  pit 
about  1%  miles  west  of  town.  An  overburden  of  sandy  loam  varying 
from  1  to  3  feet  in  thickness  is  moved  by  digging.  Below  this  there  is  a 
brown  sand  consisting  mainly  of  quartz,  coated  with  a  brown  iron  oxide. 
No  calcareous  matter  was  observed  but  a  stain  was  left  by  rubbing  the 
sand  between  the  hands.  A  mechanical  analysis  of  the  sand  showed  the 
scarcity  of  large-sized  material. 


-24  G 


370 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[BULL.   NO.  16 


Retained  on 

Per  cent. 

20  mesh 

5.60 

22.42 

38.31 

9.34 

5  60 

40  mesh 1 

60  mesh 

80  mesh 

lOOmesh 

Pan 

18  69 

Total 

99  96 

This  molding  sand  f.o.b.  cars  at  Greenville  brings  90  cents  a  yard.  It 
is  delivered  to  the  following  towns  at  the  named  prices. 

Crushed  roch. — Practically  no  crushed  rock  is  used  at  Greenville  in 
concrete  work  since  gravel  from  local  pits  is  abundant  and  cheap.  Crushed 
rock  from  the  State  Penitentiary  at  Chester  is,  however,  shipped  in  at 
the  cost  of  freight  charges  and  is. used  in  construction  of  good  highways. 

Cement. — This  material  is  all  shipped  in  from  outside  points,  princi- 
pally St.  Louis  and  Chicago. 


Clay  Products. 

Face  brick. — The  local  production  of  dry-pressed  brick  has  decreased 
considerable  during  the  last  two  years  on  account  of  the  demand  for 
cement  blocks.  Both  materials  are  made  at  the  plant  of  the  Greenville 
Lumber  Company. 

The  pressed  brick  are  made  from  a  slightly  sandy  loess,  which  is 
obtained  from  an  18-acre  tract  and  varies  in  thickness  between  6  and  8 
feet.  The  loess  is  turned  over  by  plows  and  allowed  to  dry ;  then  carried 
by  a  Quincy  clay  gatherer  to  a  storage  shed.  This  holds  enough  to  make 
about  1,500,000  bricks.  After  the  clay  has  been  thoroughly  seasoned,  it 
is  passed  through  rollers  and  over  screens  to  eliminate  any  pebbles  and 
coarse  material  present.  The  clay  passes  through  hoppers  into  a  four- 
mold,  Berg,  brick  press,  having  a  capacity  of  20,000  bricks.  There  are 
four  down-draft,  kilns,  each  having  a  capacity  of  75,000  bricks.  Usually 
14  days  in  the  kilns  are  required  for  drying  and  burning.  The  bricks 
vary  from  salmon  to  dark  red  color  and  are  uniform  and  granular  in 
texture.  Some  show  a  decided  efflorescence.  The  amount  of  shrinkage 
in  burning  is  shown  by  the  following  measurements ;  expressed  in  inches : 


Green  brick 

Soft   brick. 

Med.  brick. 

Med.  brick. 

Hard. 

Length ■ 

8i 
2nj 

2\ 

^ 

2f 

2i 

81 

Width 

4| 

Thickness 

2\ 

About  8  per  cent  of  soft,  salmon-colored  brick  is  obtained.  These  sell 
at  the  yard  usually  for  $6.75  a  thousand  and  arc  used  mostly  for  local 
building. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  371 

Materials  for  Mortar  and  Plaster. 

Lime  and  gypsum  are  shipped  in  from  outside  points.     Sand,  liowever, 
is  obtained  entirely  from  pits  already  described. 


THE  HILLSBOKO-LITCHFIELD  VICINITY. 

Introduction. 

Litchfield  and  Hillsboro  are  situated  in  the  southwest  part  of  Mont- 
gomery County.  The  region  is  heavily  covered  with  glacial  drift  and 
exposures  of  shale,  sandstone,  and  limestone  are  only  found  along  the 
larger  creeks  where  erosion  has  been  sufficient  to  remove  it.  The  struc- 
tural materials  available  consist  principally  of  brick  and  crushed  stone. 
Some  sand  and  gravel  is  obtained  from  local  creeks. 

Stone. 

Dimensiofi  Stone. — Dimension  stone  is  obtained  from  outside  points; 
mostly  from  Bedford,  Indiana.  Some  sandstone  has  been  obtained  from 
Portage,  Michigan. 

Materials  eor  Concrete. 

Sand  and  gravel. — Some  sand  mixed  with  gravel  is  obtained  from 
creek  bottoms  on  the  W.  A.  Cox  farm,  about  2  miles  east  of  Litchfield. 
The  sand  consists  of  rounded  grains  of  quartz.  The  gravelly  portion 
consists  principally  of  limestone  pebbles  with  numerous  fragments  of 
shale  and  sandstone.  A  mechanical  analysis  of  a  sample  weighing  124 
ounces  shows  the  presence  of  material  in  the  following  proportions : 


Retained  on. 

Per  cent. 

20  mesh 

53  33 

40  mesh 

15  34 

60  mesh 

10.53 

80  mesh 

19.58 

100  mesh     

06 

Pan..     .. 

16 

Total 

100.00 

Wilton  and  Chapman  haul  this  material  into  Litchfield  where  it  sells 
for  $1.10  a  yard.     It  is  used  for  small  concrete  jobs. 

Both  sand  and  gravel  are,  however,  shipped  into  Litchfield  from  out- 
side points.  Sand  is  obtained  from  East  St.  Louis  from  the  Union  Sand 
&  Material  Co.  That  used  for  construction  of  brick  pavements  is  quoted 
at  $1.10  a  yard,  while  building  sand  brings  $1.15  a  yard.  Some  washed 
gravel  is  obtained  from  the  Wabash  Sand  &  Material  Co.,  of  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana,  and  sells  at  Litchfield  for  $1.40  a  yard. 

Crushed  stone. — A  single  limestone  quarry  is  operated  about  3  miles 
east  of  Litchfield,  by  the  Kiggins  Stone  Co.,  of  Hillsboro.     The  fresh 


872 


YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909. 


[bull.  no.  16 


rock  is  gray,  crystalline  to  subcrystalline,  fine-  to  coarse-grained.  It 
weathers  brown  and  breaks  into  irregular  fragments.  The  limestone 
averages  about  10  feet  thick,  and  is  underlain  by  black,  slate-like  shale. 
Two  analyses  made  of  this  limestone  by  the  State  Geological  Survey  show 
the  following  composition : 


Sample  A.— 
Per  cent. 

Sample  B.— 
Per  cent. 

Loss  on  ignition         .  . 

42.98 

1.41 

2.29 

53.15 

.85 

.13 

42  26 

Si02 

2  06 

Fe-'O^+Al-O''.. 

3  45 

CaO 

52  42 

MgO 

1  03 

H2Oatl05" 

16 

Si02 

1.41 

2.29 

94.84 

1.78 

2  06 

Fe«03+AP03 

3  45 

CaCoS 

93  53 

MgCO=» 

2  15 

The  property  consists  of  45  acres.  The  rock  has  an  overburden  con- 
sisting principally  of  boulder  clay,  varying  in  thickness  from  2  to  10 
feet.  This  is  removed  by  scrapers.  The  rock  is  drilled  by  Ingersoll  Rand 
steam-drills,  and  blasted.  It  is  loaded  into  self-dump  cars,  hauled  up 
an  incline,  and  emptied  into  an  Austin  No.  5  crusher.  The  crushed  stone 
is  elevated  on  a  belt  bucket  conveyor  to  a  rotary  screen,  with  perforations 
of  %,  114?  and  3  inches.  The  fine  size  contains  a  great  deal  of  clay  and 
limestone  dust.  The  rock  is  used  at  the  present  time  for  ballasting  the 
Illinois  Traction  System  roadbed  between  Litchfield  and  Hillsboro.  It 
will  be  used  to  some  extent  in  the  construction  of  highways  around 
Hillsboro.     The  crushed  rock  sells  at  the  quarry  for  65  cents  a  ton. 

Cement. — This  material  is  all  shipped  either  from  Chicago  or  St.  Louis 
and  sells  for  90  cents  a  barrel  at  Litchfield. 


Clay  Products. 

Two  brick  plants  are  in  operation  at  Litchfield  and  one  at  Hillsboro. 
One  of  the  Litchfield  plants  also  make  drain  tile. 

The  Hillsboro  Brick  &  Tile  Company,  located  li^  miles  east  of  the 
court  house,  produces  a  stiff-mud  brick  from  a  clay  that  appears  to  have 
been  deposited  in  an  inland  lake  or  pond.  The  upper  3  feet  consist  of 
yellow  joint-clay  and  the  lower  4  feet  of  dark-colored  "mucky ^'  clay. 
This  becomes  slightly  sandy  towards  the  bottom. 

The  equipment  for  making  stiff-mud  brick  consists  of  a  J.  D.  Fate, 
automatic,  side-cut,  machine,  having  a  daily  capacity  of  100,000  bricks. 
The  steam-heated,  drying  shed  holds  about  80,000  bricks.  There  are 
five  down-draft  kilns  in  operation,  each  having  a  capacity  of  60,000 
bricks  and  requiring  about  10  days  for  a  burn  with  coal  as  fuel. 

Besides  the  equipment  for  stiff-mud  bricks,  the  company  has  an 
Andrew,  3  mold,  dry-press  machine  with  a  daily  capacity  of  14,000 
bricks.  The  local  clay  has  been  found  unsuitable  for  making  dry-press 
brick. 


UDDEN  AND  todd]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


373 


The  shrinkage  in  burning  the  brick  is  shown  by  the  following  measure- 
ments, expressed  in  inches : 


Soft  burned . 

Med.  burned. 

Med.  hard. 

Hard  burned. 

Length 

8| 
27,3 

II 

2/„ 

8A 

2i 

7J 

Width                         

3j 

Thickness 

2tH, 

About  15  per  cent  of  the  brick  are  soft  and  of  salmon  color.  The  color 
varies  from  salmon  to  red  or  very  dark  brown.  This  brick  has  been  used 
extensively  in  local  buildings  such  as  the  .Hillsboro  Hotel,  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  the  K.  of  P.  Hall.  At  the  brick  yard  the  price  is  $6.50  a 
thousand. 

The  Illinois  Brick  &  Tile  Company,  located  one  mile  east  of  Litchfield, 
has  available  about  5  acres  of  yellow  bowlder  clay  averaging  about  10 
feet  in  thickness.  They  use  a  Brewer,  stiff -mud,  side-cut,  machine, 
having  a  daily  capacity  of  50,000  bricks.  The  bricks  are  dried  in  two, 
steam-heated,  sheds,  each  holding  700,000  bricks.  There  are  in  opera- 
tion 5  round,  down-draft,  kilns,  each  having  a  capacity  of  50,000  bricks. 
Coal  is  used  as  fuel,  and  about  1  week  is  required  to  complete  a  burn. 
The  output  is  common  building  brick,  varying  in  color  from  salmon  to 
dark  brown.  Numerous  pebbles  are  noticeable  on  the  broken  surface, 
and  efflorescence  was  observed  on  some  bricks  as  noted  in  the  following 
measurements;  expressed  in  inches: 


Raw. 

Soft. 

Medium. 

Hard. 

Length. 

2i 

% 

2,% 

8^ 
3^ 
2,S 

3- 

Width 

Thickness • 

2,'^„ 

The  price  of  bricks  at  the  yard  varies  between  $6.50  and  $7.00  a 
thousand.  The  hard-burned  bricks  are  used  extensively  in  Litchfield 
for  the  first  course  in  pavements.  The  company  has  transportation  over 
the  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis  Eailroad. 

Besides  bricks,  a  large  number  of  drain  tiles  are  made  on  the  same 
machinery.  All  sizes  from  3  to  12  inches  in  diameter  are  made.  The  3 
inch  tile  sells  for  $12.00  and  the  12  inch  tile  for  $1.00  a  thousand. 

Keese  and  Chamberlin  operate  a  brick  yard  about  li/^  miles  south  of 
Litchfield.  About  8  acres  of  clay  remains  from  a  17-acre  tract.  The 
clay  is  yellow,  and  slightly  pebbly,  and  averages  about  6  feet  thick.  The 
equipment  consists  of  a  Brewer  &  Co.,  No.  5,  stiff-mud  machine  with  a 
capacity  of  15,000  bricks.  The  drying  sheds  are  steam-heated,  and  have 
a  capacity  of  200,000  bricks.  There  are  three  round,  down-draft  kilns, 
each  holding  50,000  bricks.  The  bricks  vary  in  color  from  salmon  to 
dark-brown.  The  hard,  dark-brown,  bricks  are  being  used  at  present  for 
the  first  course  of  brick  pavements  in  construction  at  Litchfield.  The 
shrinkage  in  green  brick  is  shown  below;  expressed  in  inches: 


374 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[bull.  no.  16 


Green. 

Soft. 

Medium. 

Hard. 

Very  hard. 

Si 
4 
2i 

81^ 
2.^,, 

8  [v. 
3,V 
2i 

II 

2,% 

8i 
3},'. 

Width                .     .             

Thickness   

2^ 

As  a  rule  bricks  sell  for  $6.50  a  thousand  at  the  yard,  and  $7.50 
delivered  in  town.  In  case  of  selected  brick,  the  price  runs  as  high  as 
$8.00  and  $9.00  a  thousand. 

Materials  for  Mortars  and  Plasters. 

Such  materials  as  lime  and  gypsum  are  shipped  into  Litchfield.  Some 
of  the  local  sand  already  described  is  used  for  mortar,  but  usually  the 
greater  part  comes  from  East  St.  Louis. 


KEWANEE. 

Kewanee  is  situated  in  the  southeast  part  of  Henry  County,  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  State.  The  transportation  facilities  include  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad,  and  the  interurban  service 
between  Kewanee  and  Galva. 

Nq  structural  materials  are  available  at  Kewanee.  Formerly  a  brick 
plant  was  operated  in  this  town.  At  present  the  Bedford  limestone  of 
Indiana  and  the  Eaindrop  and  Portage  sandstone  of  Michigan  are 
shipped  in  for  dimension  and  ornamental  purposes.  Crushed  rock  for 
concrete  comes  principally  from  Moline,  although  that  for  the  new  post 
office  building  is  from  Kankakee.  Sand  is  usually  shipped  from  either 
Rock  Island  or  Moline,  but  for  the  post  office  it  is  obtained  from  Buda, 
Illinois.  Gravel  is  shipped  from  the  same  locality.  Brick  has  commonly 
been  obtained  from  Chicago,  Galesburg,  Collinsville  and  Bushnell.  The 
brick  for  the  new  post  office  will  come  from  Danville.  Good  grade  of 
bricks  could  be  had  at  nearer  points,  namely  Galesburg  and  Rock  Island. 
A  good  part  of  the  material  for  structural  purposes  could  be  had  from 
cither  Rock  Island  or  Moline. 


LA  SALLE. 

Introduction. 

La  Salle  and  the  surrounding  country  are  of  great  geological  interest 
because  of  the  presence  of  the  La  Salle  anticline.  This  prominent  fold 
has  exposed  here  the  oldest  rocks  known  in  Illinois.  The  oldest  rocks 
exposed  are  the  lower  Magnesian  limestone,  and  the  St.  Peter  sandstone, 
of  Ordovician  age.  These  rocks  are  exposed  about  two  miles  east  of  La 
Salle  and  may  be  seen  some  three  or  four  miles  east  of  Ottawa.  The 
lower  Magnesian  limestone  exposures  are  limited  to  a  small  area  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Utica.     The  St.  Peter  sandstone  outcrops  extensively 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTUKAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  'dlo 

over  this  whole  area,  and  extends  northward  to  Mendota.  At  La  Salle, 
itself,  the  only  hard  rocks  outcropping  consists  of  "Coal  Measure"  lime- 
stones and  shales  of  Pennsylvanian  age,  which  furnish  abundant  material 
for  the  making  of  certain  structural  materials.  The  overlying  loess, 
sand,  and  gravel  also  furnish  considerable  materials  for  construction 
purposes. 

At  La  Salle  there  are  in  use  three  sand  and  gravel  pits,  one  brick 
plant  and  one  cement  plant.  In  this  vicinity,  however,  four  additional 
cement  plants  are  in  operation. 

Stone. 

Although  there  is  an  abundance  of  limestone  and  sandstone  in  the 
vicinity  of  La  Salle,  none  is  produced  for  building.  In  the  first  place, 
many  local  contractors  consider  that  the  limestone  is  of  an  inferior 
grade;  secondly,  the  heavy  overburden  makes  quarrying  expensive. 
Finally,  it  is  hard  to  compete  with  Joliet  and  other  places,  where  there 
are  larger  quantities  of  rock  with  more  uniform  composition,  and  with 
a  small  amount  of  overburden.  A  great  porjtion  of  the  La  Salle  lime- 
stone has  been  found  more  valuable  in  the  manufacture  of  cement. 

In  the  past,  some  dimension  stone  has  been  quarried  for  use,  princ- 
.i pally,  as  door  footings,  window  sills,  and  foundations;  but  there  is  very 
little,  if  any,  quarried  at  the  present  time.  Similar  stone  has  been 
obtained  to  some  extent  from  the  Western  Stone  Co.,  of  Chicago. 

The  Bedford  limestone  of  Indiana  is  used  in  some  buildings,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  public  librar}^ 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Sa?id  and  gravel. — Sand  and  gravel  for  construction  requiring  large 
quantity  is  shipped  into  La  Salle.  For  small  needs  contractors  usually 
obtain  sand  from  some  of  the  local  pits.  Material  is  shipped  in  by  the 
Garden  City  Sand  Co.,  of  Chicago  or  the  Illinois  Gravel  Co.,  of  Buda. 

The  number  of  working  sand  and  gravel  pits  around  La  Salle  depends 
on  the  quantity  demanded  by  the  local  contractors.  Ther€  are,  however, 
three  pits  in  operation  during  the  greater  part  of  the  3^ear.  Some  sand 
is  also  obtained  from  Illinois  River  when  the  water  is  low,  but  it  is  not 
especially  desired,  since  it  is  generally  very  fine,  and  contains  much 
foreign  materials,  such  as  pieces  of  coal  and  fine  clay.  Teamsters  haul 
this  sand  for  almost  any  price  that  they  can  obtain. 

Mr.  J.  Kinder  has  operated  a  sand  and  gravel  pit  about  two  miles 
northeast  of  the  Chicago,  Eock  Island  &  Pacific  Eailroad  depot  for  many 
years.  The  pit  is  the  largest  in  the  vicinity,  being  400  feet  long,  and 
about  45  feet  high.  Between  8  and  10  acres  of  sand  and  gravel  are  avail- 
able, and  at  present  about  one  acre  has  been  worked  over,  and  has  yielded 
about  three  loads  daily.  The  lower  30  feet  consists  of  sand,  and  the 
upper  15  feet  of  gravel.  There  is  an  overburden  of  yellow  clay,  varying 
from  3  to  4  feet  in  thickness.  The  sand  grains  consist  principally  of 
white  quartz  with  some  dark-colored  minerals  and  pieces  of  coal.     It  is 


^76  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  l6 

comparatively  imiform  in  size,  occasionally  some  large  pebbles  being 
found.  The  sand  is  somewhat  dirty  and  leaves  a  decidedly  brownish 
stain  on  the  hands.  The  gravel  occurring  above  the  sand  is  very  irregu- 
lar in  its  size,  and  is  irregularly  interbedded  with  sand.  Large  bowlders 
of  St.  Peter  sandstone,  18  to  24  inches  in  diameter,  are  commonly 
present,  besides  large  pieces  of  coal. 

The  sand  and  gravel  might  command  a  better  market  if  sized  by  means 
of  screens,  and  washed  free  from  fine  clay. 

Other  pits  are  operated  by  Mr.  Eyan,  about  3  miles  north  of  La  Salle, 
and  by  Charles  Metsinger,  about  2  miles  south  of  La  Salle.  The  mate- 
rials are  essentially  the  same  as  in  Mr.  Kinder's  pit. 

Local  men  receive  from  $1.25  to  $1.50  a  yard  for  sand  and  gravel,  and 
materials  shipped  in  bring  the  same  price.  The  cost  of  shipping  the 
material  in  from  Chicago  or  Buda  usually  brings  the  price  about  equal 
to  the  local  material. 

Crushed  stone. — Some  crushed  stone  has  been  obtained  in  the  past 
from  a  quarry  formerly  operated  by  Charles  Winheim,  about  1%  miles 
east  of  the  Rock  Island  Eailway  station  at  La  Salle.  The  rock  is  lime- 
stone of  Pennsylvanian  age,  averaging  20  feet  in  thickness.  The  upper 
8  feet  consists  of  an  alternation  of  limestone  and  bands  of  shaly,  nodular, 
limestone.  The  lower  12  feet  is  massive,  granular,  crystalline,  to  sub- 
crystalline,  limestone  with  an  irregular  fracture.  The  equipment  is' 
electrically  driven  and  consists  of  a  Gates  No.  5  crusher  and  a  rotary 
screen,  with  meshes  measuring  1/4,  I/2,  l^/^,  and  21/^  inches.  The  rock  is 
drilled,  blasted,  and  l)roken  by  sledges.  There  are  about  12  acres  avail- 
able, averaging  20  feet  in  thickness,  with  a  working  face  at  present  about 
300  feet  long.  The  overburden  consists  of  yellow  clay  and  weathered 
limestone,  amounting  to  about  6  feet.  When  this  quarry  was  in  opera- 
tion, the  crushed  stone  was  sold  for  about  $1.20  a  ton. 

Cement. — The  most  important  of  all  the  structural  materials  made  in 
this  vicinity  is  cement.  Two  kinds  are  manufactured;  Portland,  and 
natural  or  hydraulic  cement.  The  former  is  made  at  La  Salle  and 
Oglesby,  and  the  latter  at  Utica.  For  Portland  cement  shale  and  the 
"La  Salle  limestone,"  are  used,  while  the  natural  or  hydraulic  cement 
requires  only  the  Lower  Magnesian  limestone. 

The  German-American  Portland  Cement  Co.,  has  its  plant  located  on 
the  east  side  of  La  Salle  in  the  valley  of  Little  Vermilion  River.  The 
thickness  of  the  limestone  varies  from  25  to  30  feet.  It  is  quarried  by 
drilling  and  blasting  after  which  it  is  loaded  into  cars  by  steam  shovel 
and  hauled  a  short  distance  to  the  plant.  The  daily  capacity  is  1,800 
barrels.     The  cement  is  known  as  the  Owl  brand. 

The  plants  of  the  Chicago  Portland  Cement  Co.,  and  the  Marquette 
Portland  Cement  Co.,  are  located  at  Oglesby  along  Vermilion  River. 
The  former  company  obtains  the  limestone  by  quarrying;  the  latter  by 
mining.  The  daily  capacity  of  the  former  amounts  to  4,500  barrels  a 
day  and  the  latter  2,  500  barrels  a  day. 

Two  companies,  the  Illinois  Hydraulic  Cement  Manufacturing  Co., 
and  the  Utica  Hydraulic  Cement  Co.,  have  operated  at  Htica.     Each 


UDDEN  AND  toddJ      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  377 

has  two  kilns  iu  operation,  with  a  daily  capacity  of  400  barrels.  The 
output  has  been  steadily  decreasing,  and  it  is  the  intention  of  turning 
the  Utica  Cement  Go's,  plant  into  a  brick  factory. 

A  description  of  the  locality  giving  the  distribution  of  available  lime- 
stones and  their  composition  has  been  published.^ 

Clay  Products. 

Common  hrick. — No  common  brick  is  manufactured  in  La  Salle, 
though  the  La  Salle  Pressed  Brick  Co./ at  times  sell  their  "seconds"  as 
common  brick,  for  $7.00  a  thousand.  Most  of  the  common  brick  is 
shipped  in  from  Chicago,  from  the  Illinois  Brick  Co.,  the  Chicago  Brick 
Co.,  or  the  National  Brick  Co.  Paving  brick  come  from  the  Barr  Clay 
Co.,  of  Streator,  or  from  the  Purington  Brick  Co.,  of  Galesburg.  Com- 
mon brick  can  be  had  at  La  Salle,  on  cars,  for  $6.50  to  $7.00  a  thousand. 
Paving  brick  cost  about  $16.00  a  thousand. 

Front  hrick. — A  good  grade  of  dry-pressed  brick  is  manufactured  by 
the  La  Salle  Pressed  Brick  Co.  The  shale  used  comes  partly  from  their 
own  pit  just  north  of  the  clay  works,  and  partly  from  the  coal  mine  of 
the  Illinois  Zinc  Co.,  at  Deer  Park.  The  clay  is  first  prepared  in  a  dry 
pan  of  local  design,  then  elevated  to  a  screen.  It  afterwards  passes  into 
a  mixer  and  then  into  either  a  Whitaker,  two-mould  machine,  or  an 
Andrews  single-mold  machine.  The  raw  brick  is  then  burned  in  the 
kilns  for  about  12  days.  The  kilns  are  of  round,  down-draft  design,  and 
have  a  capacity  of  20,000  bricks.  The  total  dailv  capacity  of  the  plant 
is  25,000  bricks. 

The  brick  commonly  made  is  buff  and  red  brick.  Besides  this,  a 
mottled  brick  is  made  by  mixing  the  two  clays  in  varying  proportions 
and  adding  manganese.  Some  glazed  bricks,  and  ornamental  bricks 
for  mantles,  are  manufactured. 

For  buff  and  red  brick  a  price  ranging  from  $14.50  to  $18.00  is 
obtained,  and  for  manganese  and  mottled  brick  an  average  of  $22.00. 

The  greater  number  of  buildings  in  La  Salle  are  made  from  bricks 
manufactured  by  this  company.  Besides,  they  have  furnished  brick  for 
the  post  office,  at  Fargo,  North  Dakota,  for  United  States  Arsenal  at 
Rock  Island,  and  for  interior  finish  at  the  University  of  Chicago. 

Cement-sand  hi'iclc. — A  new  grade  of  brick  will  "'■>robably  be  made  by 
the  Universal  Brick  Co.,  of  Utica,  from  hydraulic  cement,  and  sand  of 
the  St.  Peter  sandstone.  Numerous  tests  have  been  made  with  different 
mixtures,  and  pretty  light-gray  and  dark-gray  colors  have  been  obtained. 

Materials  for  Mortars  and  Plasters. 

Lime. — Three  or  four  lime  kilns  were  formerly  operated  about  a  mile 
northeast  of  La  Salle  along  a  rather  prominent  ridge  of  limestone.  The 
product  was  a  slow-slaking  lime,  preferred  by  local  contractors  on  account 


^Cady,  Gilbert  H.,  Cement  Making  Materials  in  the  Vicinity  of  LaSalle;  Bull.  111.  Geol.  Survey  No. 
8,  1907,  pp.  127-1.34. 


378  YEAR-BOOK    FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

of  its  great  durability.  At  the  present  time,  tiowever,  none  is  manu- 
factured and  most  of  the  lime  is  obtained  from  the  Marlilehead  Lime 
Co.,  of  Marblehead,  111. 

Gypsum. — The  United  States  Gypsum  Co.,  of  Chicago,  furnishes 
nearly  all  of  the  material  needed  for  interior  plastering. 

Sand. — Mention  has  already  been  made  of  common  sand  available  in 
this  region.  In  addition,  sand  of  high  grade  is  obtained  at  Utica,  by 
pulverizing  and  washing  the  St.  Peter  sandstone.  The  grains  are  of 
white  quartz,  rounded,  and  of  even  size,  to  give  a  rough  finish  to  interior 
plastering.     It  is  used  principally  in  the  glass  and  brick  industries. 


LINCOLN. 

Introduction. 

Lincoln  is  the  county  seat  of  Logan  County,  and  is  situated  near  its 
center.  The  shales,  limestones,  and  sandstones,  are  exposed  only  in  a 
few  places  where  erosion  removed  the  mantle  covering  of  glacial  drift. 
Structural  materials  are  limited  to  common  brick  and  sand  and  gravel. 
Dimension  and  ornamental  stone  is  obtained  from  the  Bedford  region 
of  Indiana,  and  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  the  Berea  sandstone  occurs.  The 
coimty  court  house  is  constructed  of  the  latter  kind.  Some  Niagara  lime- 
stone, from  Joliet,  has  also  been  used.  Some  crushed  stone  also  comes 
from  Joliet,  while  cement  is  received  from  Chicago. 

Sand  and  Gravel. 

Extensive  sand  and  gravel  deposits  occurring  along  Kickapoo  and 
Salt  Creeks  are  worked  by  two  companies  besides  local  teamsters. 

The  pit  operated  by  the  Lincoln  Sand  and  Gravel  Co.  is  located  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad,  about  1%  miles  south  of 
the  postoffice.  Only  a  few  acres  of  the  360-acre  property  has  been  devel- 
oped. An  overburden  of  silt  and  loam,  varying  from  6  to  8  feet  in 
thickness,  is  removed  by  steam  shovel.  Under  this  there  is  a  20-foot  bed 
of  sand  and  gravel,  underlain  by  3  to  4  feet  of  hard,  blue,  clay.  Still 
lower  occurs  another  bed  of  sand  and  "gravel,  about  25  feet  thick. 

The  sand  and  gravel  is  obtained  from  small  artificial  ponds,  by  means 
of  a  centrifugal  pump.  Water  is  pumped  into  the  ponds  to  replace  that 
discharged.  The  pump  equipment  is  floated  from  place  to  place  on  a 
barge.  The  intake  pipe  is  10  inches  in  diameter,  and  has  a  hood  with 
4-inch  perforations.  All  of  the  material  is  carried  about  800  feet  to  a 
separating  table,  about  30  feet  wide,  and  8  feet  long.  Three  screens,  set 
at  an  angle,  separate  the  materials  into  sizes  measuring  II/2,  %?  and  y^- 
inch  in  diameter.  Material  over  II/2  inches  in  diameter  is  rejected;  that 
passing  through  the  1%  and  the  %-inch  screens  classes  as  gravel;  while 
all  that  goes  through  the  14-inch  screen  passes  as  sand.  Medium  and 
fine  sand  are  obtained  in  hoppers  by  settling.  The  capacity  of  the  plant 
is  750  tons  a  day,  but  the  average  output  through  the  year  is  about  450 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  879 

tons  daily.  Generally  about  40  tons  of  gravel  is  obtained  to  80  tons  of 
sand,  and  the  sand  grades  about  5  tons  of  fine  to  1  ton  of  medium.  Three 
tracks  under  the  separating  table  permit  loading  of  three  cars  at  once. 
Shipment  can  be  made  over  the  Chicago  &  Alton,  the  Illinois  Central, 
and  the  Illinois  Traction  System.  Sand  sells  for  30  cents  a  ton  and 
gravel  55  cents  at  the  pit. 

The  McGrath  Bros,  pit  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Illinois 
Central  tracks  along  Kickapoo  Creek,  about  2i/2  miles  north  of  Lincoln. 
The  sand  and  gravel  is  obtained  from  the  creek  bed,  by  means  of  a 
hydraulic  pump,  with  an  8-inch  intake.  A  crude  table  is  used  for  sepa- 
ration. Sand  composes  about  40  per  cent  of  the  material.  Generally  a 
sand  and  gravel  mixture  for  concrete  is  produced.  Some  medium  sand 
and  some  coarse  gravel  for  road  ballast  are  also  obtained.  The  daily 
output  of  120  tons  will  be  increased  shortly  to  250  tons.  A  price  of  35 
cents  is  obtained  for  sand  and  45  cents  for  gravel. 

Clay  Products. 

At  one  time  large  quantities  of  common  brick  were  manufactured 
from  yellow,  joint-clay,  or  loess.  Within  the  last  year  or  two  production 
has  diminished  on  account  of  the  low  price  received  in  competition  with 
brick  made  in  large  quantities  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago.  At  present 
only  the  Lincoln  Coal  Co.  makes  bricks. 

The  brick  yards  are  located  about  a  mile  south  of  town,  and  include 
two  plants.  At  one,  buff  brick  and  drain  tile  are  made  from  a  combi- 
nation of  a  yellow,  sandy,  loess,  and  fire-clay  occurring  under  Coal  No.  5. 
At  the  other  plant,  common  red  brick  are  made  from  yellow  joint-clay. 

The  equipment  at  the  first  plant  consists  of  an  E.  M.  Freese  &  Co., 
stiff-mud,  side-cut,  machine,  having  a  daily  capacity  of  250,000  bricks. 
The  bricks  are  dried  in  a  closed  shed  having  the  same  capacity;  and 
during  cold  weather  heat  for  drying  is  obtained  from  steam  coils  placed 
under  the  stacks.  The  bricks  are  burned  in  8  down-draft  kilns,  having 
capacities  of  28,000  bricks  each.  A  section  of  a  broken  brick  shows  some 
lamination,  and  also  numerous  pebbles  from  the  sandy  clay.  Besides 
bricks,  drain  tiles  are  made  at  this  plant  from  the  same  material.  Small- 
sized,  drain  tiles,  are  made  by  a  "Little  Brewster"  machine,  having  a 
daily  capacity  of-  10,000  4-inch  tiles.  Large  sizes  are  made  by  a  "New 
Departure"  machine,  having  a  daily  capacity  of  1,000  15-inch  drain  tile. 

At  the  second  plant,  the  equipment  consists  of  an  "Iron  Quaker"  soft- 
mud  machine,  having  a  capacity  of  18,000  bricks  daily.  The  bricks  are 
burned  in  square,  up-draft,  Dutch  kilns,  having  a  capacity  of  175,000 
bricks. 

The  retail  price  of  uricks  at  the  yard  for  local  use  is  $7.00  per  thou- 
sand; loaded  on  cars  for  shipment,  $6.50  a  thousand.  For  all  grades 
of  brick,  an  average  price  of  $6.00  a  thousand  is  obtained.  Drain  tile 
are  made  in  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  12,  and  15-inch  sizes.  The  price  per 
thousand  at  the  3^ards  varies  as  follows:  4-inch  brings  $16.00;  6-inch, 
$30.00;  15-inch,  $150.00. 


380  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

Face  brick  are  obtained  either  at  Springfield  or  Collinsville,  Illinois. 
Those  from  Springfield  can  be  had  for  $15.00  a  thousand.  Some  build- 
ing blocks  are  shipped  in  from  Brazil,  Indiana.  Common  bricks  are 
frequently  shipped  from  Chicago  and  Bloomington,  and  cost  $6.00  a 
thousand  at  Lincoln. 


MATTOON. 

Introduction. 

Mattoon  is  situated  in  the  southwest  part  of  Coles  County.  The  hard 
rocks  consist  of  shales,  limestones,  and  sandstones  of  Pennsylvanian  age, 
but  they  are  commonly  buried  beneath  a  thick  covering  of  glacial  drift 
and  exposures  are  limited  to  stream  valleys  where  erosion  has  been 
sufficient  to  remove  the  mantle  covering.  The  structural  materials 
locally  available  are  common  brick  and  drain  tile.  All  other  materials 
are  shipped  in. 

Stone. 

Dimension  and  ornamental  stone  is  obtained  from  the  Bedford  region 
of  Indiana,  and  has  been  used  for  the  public  library  of  Mattoon. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Sand  and  gravel. — Since  there  are  no  sand  and  gravel  deposits  at 
Mattoon  it  is  obtained  from  outside  points.  Delivery  is  made  f.o.b. 
Mattoon  by  a  number  of  concerns,  partly  by  the  Silverwood  Sand  and 
Gravel  Co.,  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  for  $1.00  a  yard;  partly  by  the 
Merom  Sand  and  Gravel  Co.,  of  Merom,  Indiana,  for  $1.10  a  yard; 
partly  by  the  Lincoln  Sand  and  Gravel  Co.,  of  Lincoln,  Illinois,  for 
$1.25  per  yard.  Some  sand  has  been  shipped  into  Mattoon  by  the  Union 
Sand  &  Material  Co.,  of  St.  Louis. 

Crushed  Stone. — Crushed  stone  is  obtained  mainly  from  Kankakee 
from  the  McLaughlin  &  Mateer  Stone  Co.,  and  from  the  Lehigh  Stone 
Company.  It  is  delivered  on  cars  at  Mattoon  for  $1.10  per  ton.  Other 
stone  is  obtained  from  the  A.  &  C.  Crushed  Stone  Co.,  of  Greencastle, 
Indiana,  and  is  delivered  on  cars  for  $1.00  a  ton. 

Clay   Products. 

There  are  two  clay  plants  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tile  and  a 
small  quantity  of  brick. 

The  Mattoon  Brick  &  Tile  Company,  located  about  1/2  mile  north- 
east of  town,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  make  a 
soft-mud  brick  from  a  mixture  of  yellow  clay  and  shale  obtained  from 
a  waste  pile  of  an  abandoned  mine  south  of  town.  Brick  and  tile  are 
made  by  a  Freese,  soft-mud,  end-cut  machine,  having  a  daily  capacity 
of  50,000  bricks.    The  bricks  are  dried  in  steam-heated  sheds  and  burned 


UDDEN  AND  TODD].     STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  881 

in  two  round,  down-draft  kilns  30  feet  in  diameter.  At  the  yard  the 
bricks  bring  from  $6.00  to  $7.00  a  thousand.  The  principal  product 
consists  of  drain  tile,  which  are  made  on  the  same  machine  in  the 
following  sizes:  31/2,  4,  5,  7,  8,  9,  10,  12,  15,  and  17-inch. 

At  John  W.  Hogue's  factory,  located  about  three-fourths  mile  southeast 
of  town,  tile  is  made  from  yellow  clay,  usually  about  6  feet  thick.  The 
equipment  includes  an  Adrian  machine,  open  sheds  for  drying,  and  two 
round,  down-draft  kilns.  The  following  sizes  are  made:  4,  5,  6,  8,  10, 
and  12-inch.  The  4-inch  tile  sells  for  $15.00  per  M.  and  the  10-inch 
for  $65.00  per  M. 

Paving  brick  is  shipped  extensively  from  the  Clinton  Brick  Co.,  of 
Clinton,  Indiana,  and  sells  for  $18.00  f.o.b.  Mattoon.  Brick  for  foun- 
dation is  received  from  the  Western  Brick  Co.,  of  Danville,  for  $15.00, 
and  from  the  Illinois  Brick  Co.,  of  Chicago,  for  $6.00  per  M. 

Materials  for  Mortars  and  Plasters. 

Such  material  as  is  needed  for  mortars  and  plasters  come  either  from 
Chicago,  Terre  Haute,  or  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


PONTIAC. 

Introduction. 

Pontiac,  the  county  seat  of  Livingston  County,  is  situated  near  its 
center.  The  region  is  heavily  covered  with  glacial  drift,  and  only  where 
this  is  removed  by  erosion  are  shales  and  limestones  of  Pennsylvanian  age 
exposed.  Practically  the  only  structural  materials  at  Pontiac  are  sand 
and  gravel ;  these  will  be  described  later.  There  was  at  one  time  a  small 
stone  quarry  in  operation  on  the  Countryman  place,  about  one-half  mile 
east  of  town;  and  another  at  McDowell,  about  8  miles  southeast  of  town. 

Stone  used  as  trimming  has  been  obtained  from  the  Bedford  region 
of  Indiana,  and  also  from  the  Portage  region  of  Michigan.  Foundation 
stone  is  obtained  principally  from  the  quarries  at  Joliet.  Large  quanti- 
ties of  good  sand  and  gravel  can  be  delivered  on  the  cars  from  Lincoln, 
95  cents  and  $1.20  a  ton  respectively. 

Similarly  no  clay  products  are  manufactured  in  Pontiac.  Brick  comes 
mostly  from  Streator,  La  Salle,  or  Collinsville,  111.,  and  from  St.  Louis, 
Mo.  At  the  present  time  paving  blocks,  manufactured  by  the  Barr  Clay 
Co.  and  the  Streator  Paving  Brick  Co.  of  Streator,  are  being  used  in  the 
construction  of  buildings.  The  city  hall,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  and 
the  public  library  are  examples.  Pressed  brick,  used  in  some  of  the 
buildings,  comes  mainly  from  Collinsville,  111. 

Materials  for  mortars  and  plasters  are  generally  obtained  from  Chi- 
cago, with  the  exception  of  sand  and  ijravel. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Most  materials  used  in  concrete  work  come  from  outside  points. 
Crushed  rock  comes  from  Joliet  quarries  and  cement  from  Chicago. 


382  '  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  "  [bull.  no.  16 

Sand  and  gravel  occur  in  limited  amounts  southeast  of  Pontiac  along 
Vermilion  Eiver,  and  two  pits  have  supplied  local  needs.  One  pit,  located 
on  the  Bruner  place,  about  a  mile  southeast  of  town,  is  operated  by  1).  E. 
Pillsbury  and  includes  about  20  acres  with  scattered  patches  of  sand 
and  gravel.  The  materials  have  a  brownish  color  and  are  streaked  with 
numerous  seams  of  grayish  clay.  The  sand  consists  of  small  rounded 
grains  of  quartz  and  chert,  mixed  with  silt.  The  gravel  consists  of 
medium-sized  pebbles.  The  composition,  determined  by  examining  300 
pebbles,  %  inch  in  diameter,  is  as  follows : 


Percent. 


Limestone,  mostly  magnesian  and  partly  decomposed . 

Chert 

Igneous  rock 

Sandstone 


Some  sand  is  obtained  from  the  river  by  means  of  a  small  centrifugal 
pump,  and  is  passed  over  two  crude,  stationary  screens  to  eliminate 
pebbles  over  14  inch  in  diameter. 

■  Another  pit,  situated  about  2  miles  southeast  of  town,  is  operated  by 
Mr.  Balmer.  The  sand  and  gravel  is  essentially  identical  to  that  observed 
in  the  Pillsbury  pit.  Some  sand  is  obtained  also  at  this  place  from 
the  river,  when  the  water  is  low. 

Another  small  pit  was  o])erated  some  years  ago  by  Mr.  Teusburg,  about 
1  mile  northeast  of  town. 

In  all  of  these  pits  there  is  generally  present  *an  overburden  of  black 
loam  varying  in  thickness  from  1  to  4  feet,  which  is  removed  either  by 
scrapers  or  ordinary  shovels.  All  of  the  sand  and  gravel  is  loaded  with 
shovels.  The  usual  price  per  yard  is  50  cents  at  the  pit,  or  $1.00  when 
delivered. 


QUINCY. 

Introduction. 

Quincy  is  situated  along  Mississippi  River  near  the  west-central  part 
of  the  State,  in  Adams  County.  This  region  is  interesting,  geologically, 
on  account  of  the  extensive  deposits  of  Mississippian  limestones  and  of 
various  kinds  of  glacial  materials.  Furthermore,  the  lowlands  of  the 
Mississippi  and  the  bluffs  rising  from  75  to  150  feet  above  them  are 
physiographic  features  of  interest.  There  is  extensive  production  of 
stone,  lime,  sand,  gravel,  and  bricks. 

Stone. 

Two  companies  produce  dimension  stone  for  local  needs.  The  F.  W. 
Mencke  Stone  &  Lime  Company  plant  is  equipped  with  a  single  steel 
blade, gang  saw  and  a  planer.  A  25-ton  electric  crane  is  used  for  han- 
dling large  blocks.     The  greater  portion  of  limestone  is  obtained  from 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRirCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  383 

Bedford,  Indiana.  Some  is  from  Lemont,  Illinois,  and  some  from 
Carthage,  Missouri.  Sandstone  is  obtained  from  Portage,  Michigan. 
Local  stone  is  used  principally  for  foundations,  sidewalks,  steps,  window 
sills,  and  water  tables.     About  ten  men  are  employed. 

Eoeder  &  Gremmer  operate  a  stone-cutting  establishment  but  all  of 
their  work  is  done  by  hand.  Both  Bedford  limestone  and  local  stone  is 
worked.     Five  or  six  men  are  employed. 

Materials  for  Concrete. 

Sand. — Most  of  the  sand  sold  in  Quincy  is  obtained  by  the  Menne 
Sand  Company  from  small  bars  in  the  Mississippi  by  means  of  a  belt 
bucket  conveyor  which  loads  the  sand  on  barges.  The  barges  are  towed 
to  Quincy  where  the  material  is  loaded  into  wagons  by  shovels.  It  sells 
for  75  cents  a  yard,  delivered. 

A  mechanical  analysis  of  a  sample  of  river  sand  weighing  187  ounces 
showed  the  following  composition : 


Retained  on  meshes. 

Percent. 

20                                                      

7  44 

40 

47.87 

60                                                            .                                

35  63 

80      

4.78 

100                                                                                                     .  .                

3  19 

Pan              

53 

Total 

99  44 

The  sand  is  fairly  sharp,  and  consists  of  subangular  and  rounded  grains 
of  quartz,  with  some  limestone  and  numerous  dark-colored  grains. 

Gravel. — Very  little  gravel  is  used  in  Quincy  on  account  of  the  abun- 
dance of  crushed  stone.  It  is  at  times  obtained  from  the  Mississippi 
by  the  Menne  Sand  Company. 

Crushed  stone. — The  high  bluffs  north  and  south  of  Quincy  offer  an 
abundant  supply  of  crushed  stone.  The  limestone  belongs  to  the  Bur- 
lington and  Keokuk  divisions  of  the  Mississippian  series.  The  Keokuk 
limestone  is  very  cherty,  while  the  Burlington  is  less  cherty  in  this 
vicinity.  A  generalized  section  of  the  bluff  where  the  quarries  are 
situated  shows  the  following  relations : 


Thickness- 
feet. 


1.  Loess  and  loam 

2.  Cherty,  light-colored,  limestone,  the  chert  in  bands,  nodules,  and  lenses  ^  to  4  inches 

thick  and  constituting  \  of  the  mass 

3.  Limestone,  grayish  in  upper  part,  lower  part  buff,  fine-grained  to  coarsely  crystalline 

and  containing  very  little  chert 

4.  Limestone,  grayish,  heavy-bedded,  showing  3  to  5  horizons  of  chert  nodules 

5.  Sandy  shale  in  bottom  quarries 


5-35 

10-30 

22 

8 

20 


Two  samples  of  limestone  have  been  collected  by  the  State  Geological 
Survey  from  Quincy.     Sample  "A"  was  taken  from  a  quarry  in  the 


B84 


YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909. 


[boll.  no.  16 


southern  part  of  Quincy  just  north  of  the  Wabash  Railroad.  The  other 
sample,  ^^B,"  was  collected  from  the  bluff  north  of  Quincy  in  the  SW.  14 
sec.  T.  1  S.,  R.  9  W.    The  analyses  of  these  samples  are  as  follows : 


"A" — per  cent. 

"B"— percent. 

Loss  on  ignition 

35.10 

19.78 

1.94 

43.42 

.84 

.30 

39  90 

SiO^ .   .       . 

9  66 

Fe-Os+APO^ 

1  54 

CaO 

48  38 

MgO 

68 

H^Oatl05= 

26 

SiO« 

19.78 
1.94 

77.47 
1.76 

9  66 

Fe-O^+APQa 

1  54 

Ca  00= 

86  32 

MgCO^ 

1  42 

There  are  four  owners  of  quarries  producing  crushed  stone;  namely: 
F.  W.  Mencke  Stone  &  Lime  Company;  the  Quincy  White  Lime  & 
Cement  Co.;  Eoeder  &  Gremmer;  and  also  the  city  of  Quincy. 

The  first  quarry  south  of  Quincy  is  that  of  Eoeder  &  Gremmer.  The 
working  face  is  about  350  feet  long  and  about  25  feet  high.  The  stone 
is  quarried  by  means  of  steam  drills,  blasted  and  hauled  a  short  distance 
in  wagons  to  a  small  jaw-crusher.  The  crushed  stone  is  elevated  on  a 
belt  bucket  conveyor  and  run  through  a  rotary  screen  having  1,  ly^  and 
2  inch  screens.  The  crushed  stone  is  obtained  solely  for  the  company 
contracts. 

The  quarry  a  little  further  south  is  operated  by  convict  labor  by  the 
city  of  Quincy.  Two  openings  have  been  made,  one  at  the  right  of  the 
jail  and  the  other  a  short  distance  north.  Each  has  a  working  face  about 
100  feet  long  and  40  feet  high.  The  stone  is  hauled  in  wagons  from 
both  of  these  quarries  to  an  Austin  jaw-crusher,  and  then  is  elevated  on 
a  belt  bucket  conveyor  to  a  revolving  screen  with  1  and  2  inch  holes. 
Most  of  the  stone  is  sold  to  contractors  for  75  cents  a  yard  at  the  quarry. 

About  11/2  miles  further  south,  the  quarry  of  the  Quincy  White  Lime 
and  Cement  Company  is  located.  The  working  face  is  about  450  feet 
long  and  the  rock  averages  about  45  feet  in  thickness.  Compressed  air 
drills  are  used  and  include  2  Ingersoll-Rand,  2  Chicago  Giant,  and  1 
Chicago  Baby  Giant.  The  stone  is  blasted  out,  loaded  into  wagons,  and 
hauled  to  two  Gates  crushers.  The  rock  is  first  put  through  the  No.  5 
crusher,  then  elevated  on  a  belt  bucket  conveyor  to  a  rotary  screen.  The 
screen  perforations  include  the  following  sizes :  %,  %,  1,  2,  and  3  inch. 
Any  stone  larger  than  3  inches  passes  through  the  screen  into  the  No.  3 
crusher  and  is  again  elevated.  There  are  four  steel  storage  bins  holding 
200  tons.     Crushed  rock  sells  at  the  quarry  for  75  cents  a  ton. 

The  Mencke  Stone  &  Lime  Company's  quarries  are  situated  about  i/4 
mile  further  south.  The  working  face  is  about  500  feet  long  and  the 
stone  is  about  55  feet  thick.  Three  Ingersol-Rand  steam  drills  are  oper- 
ated. The  stone  is  blasted  and  hauled  in  wagons  to  Gates  No.  5  and  No. 
2  crushers.  The  screens  have  perforations  measuring  2%,  2,  and  14 
inch. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS. 


385 


Cement. — Cement  is  obtained  from  plants  at  St.  Louis  and  Hannibal 
Missouri,  and  from  others  located  in  northern  Illinois. 

Clay  Products. 

There  are  two  grades  of  brick  manufactured  at  Quincy,  a  common 
building  brick  and  a  dry-pressed,  face  brick.  The  two  largest  brick 
concerns  are  the  Gem  City  Pressed  Brick  Company,  and  Damhorst  Bros. 
Besides  these,  there  are  five  smaller  plants,  whose  individual  produc- 
tions do  not  generally  exceed  500,000  bricks  a  year.  These  are  W.  K. 
Abbott,  16  &  Jefferson  Sts.,  Frank  Sanders,  12  &  Jackson  Sts.,  Herman 
Spilker,  16  &  Madison  Sts.,  H.  H.  Stockhecker,  11  &  Jackson  Sts.,  and 
John  Strott,  14  and  Chester. 

Common  hricJc. — The  largest  plant  manufacturing  common  brick  is 
that  of  Damhorst  Bros.,  at  1410  Spruce  Street.  The  bricks  are  made 
from  a  yellow  loess-like  clay,  obtained  from  various  places  near  the 
brick  yard,  w^here  it  has  been  necessary  to  bring  property  down  to  grade. 
The  clay  property  of  the  plant  consists  of  five  acres  which  has  not  been 
touched  up  to  the  present  time.  Bricks  are  made  on  a  S.  S.  S.  machine, 
made  by  the  Arnold  and  Crager  Machine  Co.,  of  New  London,  Ohio. 
They  are  dried  in  open  sheds  on  pallets,  and  burned  between  10  and  12 
days  in  three  up-draft  kilns  of  Dutch-oven  type.  About  10  per  cent  of 
the  brick  are  salmon-colored,  soft  brick.  This  plant  produces  15,000 
bricks  per  day  which  sell  for  $7.00  a  thousand  at  the  yard. 

The  shrinkage  in  drying  and  burning  these  bricks  is  shown  in  the 
following  measurements ;  expressed  in  inches : 


Green. 

Soft. 

Medium. 

Hard. 

9,% 
211 

1 

8i 
2i 

S/g 

Width 

Thickness 

4" 
2i 

Face  hrick. — The  Gem  City  Pressed  Brick  Co.,  is  located  at  18th 
Street  north  of  Locust.  A  dry-pressed  brick  is  made  from  a  yellow,  clay- 
like, loess  obtained  from  a  pit  in  which  the  average  thickness  of  the 
brick  clay  is  about  12  feet.  The  property  consists  of  22  acres  of  clay 
land,  of  which  12  acres  has  been  worked  over.  The  clay  is  plowed  and 
dried  in  the  open  air,  after  which  it  is  placed  in  a  storage  shed  holding 
clay  for  about  1%  million  bricks.  After  pulverizing,  the  clay  is  elevated 
and  passed  through  a  3/22-inch  wdre  screen.  From  here  it  passes  into 
hoppers,  and  then  into  a  Boyd  four-mold,  dry-press  machine.  The  green 
bricks  are  placed  directly  in  a  continuous  kiln,  of  the  Guthrie  type.  It 
consists  of  14  chambers  with  overhead  openings  so  that  the  heat  may 
travel  from  one  chamber  to  another.  After  burning  has  been  started 
the  openings  at  the  bottom  are  closed  and  screened  coal  is  put  into  the 
kiln  from  holes  at  the  top.  It  usually  requires  about  three  weeks  to 
burn  the  whole  kiln.     Between  60  to  80  hours  are  allowed  for  water 


—25  G 


386  YEAR-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

smoking,  48  hours  for  heating  np  the  chamber,  72  hours  for  a  settling 
heat,  and  between  24  and  36  hours  for  annealing.  The  coal  used  costs 
about  70  cents  for  1,000  bricks.  Considerable  shrinkage  takes  place  in 
burning  as  shown  in  the  following  measurements : 


Length 8|  8f  8| 

Width 4|  4  3| 

Thickness ^s  ^f'-  "^^ 


Soft. 

• 

Medium. 

8i 

8f 

4* 

4 

2| 

2^, 

Hard. 


The  average  price  per  thousand  for  kiln-run  brick  at  the  yard  is  about 
$7.50,  and  for  the  very  hardest  burned  brick,  slightly  distorted  in  shape 
but  used  mainly  for  brick  walks  and  driveways,  $10.00.  A  switch  con- 
nects with  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroad.  Most  of  the 
bricks  are  sold  in  Quincy  or  within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles. 

Materials  for  Mort.irs  and  Plasters. 

Lime. — Large  quantities  of  lime  are  burned  from  a  bed  occurring 
near  the  base  of  the  quarry.  It  is  from  15  to  30  feet  thick,  free  from 
chert,  and  in  texture  varies  from  fine-grained  to  coarse-grained.  The 
three  companies  furnishing  crushed  stone  south  of  Quincy,  as  noted 
elsewhere,  also  burn  lime. 

The  F.  W.  Mencke  Stone  &  Lime  Companv  have  three  lime  kilns,  and 
at  present  operate  two,  which  produce  about  110  barrels  of  lime  daily. 
Wood  is  used  in  burning  the  lime.  In  the  market  this  is  known  as  the 
"Star"  white  lime. 

The  Quincy  White  Lime  &  Cement  Co.,  operate  4  lime  kilns,  produc- 
ing, on  an  average,  100  barrels  a  day.  Lime  sells  in  barrels  for  75  cents 
and  in  bulk  for  25  cents  a  bushel. 

W.  D.  Meyer  operates  5  lime  kilns  and  has  a  daily  production  of  250 
barrels.     The  lime  sells  for  75  cents  a  barrel. 

The  Quincy  White  Lime  &  Cement  Company  does  not  enter  the 
Quincy  market.    It  is  affiliated  to  the  Marblehead  Lime  Co.,  of  Chicago. 

VICINITY  OF  ROCK  ISLAND  AND  MOLINE. 
Introduction. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Rock  Island  and  Moline,  Illinois,  and  Davenport, 
Iowa,  comparatively  large  amounts  of  structural  material  are  produced 
for  use  in  the  Tri-Cities,  and  for  export  to  surrounding  towns.  The 
materials  include  common,  face,  and  fire,  brick;  drain  and  sidewalk  tile; 
crushed  rock;  dimension  stone  and  rubble  of  limestone  and  sandstone; 
sand;  and  some  gravel. 

In  this  area  rocks  of  Silurian,  Devonian  and  Pennsylvanian  age  out- 
crop and  are  extensively  worked.  In  Rock  Island  and  Moline  the  crushed 
rock    and    rubble    comes    from    Devonian    formations;    the    sandstone 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]       STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  887 

obtained  at  Colona,  Illinois,  is  Pennsylvanian ;  the  stone  obtained  at 
Le  Claire,  Iowa,  comes  from  the  Silurian ;  while  materials  nsed  in  the 
manufacture  of  brick  consists  of  shales  of  the  Penns3dvanian  and  yellow 
clay  or  loess  of  Eecent  or  Quaternary  age. 

Stone. 

There  are  some  eight  stone  quarries  in  operation,  two  located  in  Eock 
Island,  one  in  Moline,  and  one  in  Colona.  On  the  Iowa  side,  the  largest 
quarries  are  located  at  Le  Claire,  and  at  Buffalo.  Two  grades  of  lime- 
stone are  obtained^  one,  high  in  calcium,  and  the  other  high  in  magne- 
sium. 

In  a  general  way,  the  thickness  and  the  character  of  the  different 
ledges  of  Devonian  limestone  occurring  in-  this  neighborhood,  and  com- 
monly quarried  at  the  Tri-Cities  and  at  Buffalo  is  indicated  by  the  fol- 
lowing section: 


Thickness- 
feet. 


13.  Very  pure  limestone,  bluish-gray  or  white.    Mostly  thin-bedded,  often  breeciated . 

12.    Three  or  four  ledges  of  a  strong,  somewhat  granular,  thick-bedded  limestone 

11.  Three  ledges  of  a  fine-grained,  bluish  limestone,  separated  by  seams  of  green  shales 

10.  Shaly  limestone;  in  places  a  calcareous  shale.    A  small  ledge  of  erinoidal  limestone 

in  upper  part 

9.    Thin-bedded  limestone 

8.    Thin-bedded  limestone  and  greenish  shale 

7.    Thick-bedded,  rather  soft,  blue  limestone,  weathering  yellow 

6.    Thin-bedded  limestone 

5.  Massive  and  finely  granular,  somewhat  arenaceous  limestone;  blue,  but  when 

thoroughly  weathered  brown;  in  massive  beds 

4.    Carbonaceous,  black  limestone 

3.    Hard,  bluish  limestone,  weathering  brown 

2.    Greenish  or  yellow  shale 

1.    Variable,  occasionally  breeciated,  and  often  much-weathered  limestone 


30 

10 

2-3 

5 

2 

10 
1 

10 
5 


The  rocks  of  the  preceding  section  are  quarried  as. follows:  No.  1,  by 
the  Moline  Stone  Co.,  and  the  Cady  Stone  Co.;  N'o.  2  and  No.  3,  by 
P.  T.  and  S.  S.  Davis  in  Eock  Island;  Nos.  3-9  along  the  Mississippi  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Buffalo,  Iowa. 

The  Silurian  rocks  quarried  at  Le  Claire  are  known  as  the  Le  Claire 
limestolie  and  the  Anamosa  limestone.  The  Le  Claire  limestone  is 
usually  light,  bluish-gray  but  is  varying  in  color  to  almost  white.  It  is 
finely  crystalline  in  grain,  and  brittle, — breaking  with  irregular  or  sub- 
concoidal  fracture.  This  portion  is  useless  for  building,  but  produces  a 
fine  grade  of  lime.  The  Anamosa  is  a  soft,  granular,  buff-colored  dimen- 
sion stone.  Bedding  planes  are  smooth  and  joints  are  far  apart; 
fractured  edges  are  even  and  smooth. 

The  Pennsylvanian  sandstone  has  medium  grain,  even  texture,  and, 
usually  a  white  color.  In  places,  it  is  stained  brown  by  iron.  In  thick- 
ness it  averages  between  35  and  40  feet. 

Dimension  stone. — All  of  the  quarries  in  Eock  Island  and  Moline  offer 
certain  ledges  of  even  thickness,  texture,  and  color,  which  are  usually 
selected  for  foundation  purposes.     The   amount   of   stone   quarried   at 


388  YEAK-BOOK   FOR   1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

present  is  very  small,  and  usually  the  price  ranges  from  $1.10  to  $1.20 
a  ton.  At  Le  Claire,  Iowa,  however,  a  considerable  amount  of  dimension 
stone  has  been  obtained.  The  rock  is  sawed  out  and  is  afterwards 
trimmed  by  hand.  The  output  has  decreased  since  competition  with  the 
Bedford  stone  of  Indiana  has  made  it  practically  impossible  to  quarr}^ 
the  rock  at  a  profit.  It  has  been  used  in  all  government  buildings  at  the 
Eock  Island  al-senal,  and  in  some  of  the  buildings  at  Augustana  College, 
in  Eock  Island. 

Material  for  Concrete. 

Sand. — Most  of  the  sand  used  for  construction  purposes  in  Moline 
and  Eock  Island  comes  'from  the  Mississippi  about  6  miles  above  town 
where  it  is  obtained  by  sand  pumps,  and  is  washed,  screened,  and  loaded 
on  barges.  In  its  composition,  it  resembles  closely  the  river  sand  at  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  A  price  ranging  from  25  to  50  cents  a  yard  is  obtained  for 
the  sand  on  barges.     The  sand  companies  operating  here  are : 


Office. 


Moline  Sand  Co 

Beder  Wood 

Rock  Island  Sand  &  Gravel  Co. 


Moline 

Moline 

Rock  Island 


Gravel. — A  little  gravel  is  obtained  from  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  Beder 
Wood  of  Moline  occasionally  sells  a  barge  of  gravel,  for  about  50  cents 
a  yard.    Instead  of  gravel,  a  great  deal  of  crushed  rock  is  used. 

Crushed  stone. — The  quarries  producing  crushed  rock  in  Moline  and 
Eock  Island  are,  as  follows: 


Office. 


Moline  Stone  Co 

Cady  stone  Co 

P.  B.  &  S.  S.  Davis. 


Moline 

Moline 

Rock  Island 


The  quarry  operated  by  the  Cady  Stone  Co.  is  located  about  4  miles 
east  of  the  Chicago,  Eock  IslancI  &  Pacific  Eailroad  station.  The 
product  contains  at  times  such  a  large  amount  of  overburden  as  to  give 
the  crushed  rock  a  dirty  appearance,  and  cause  its  rejection  by  local 
contractors. 

The  quarry  of  the  Moline  Stone  Co.,  located  about  1  mile  east  of 
Chicago,  Eock  Island  &  Pacific  Eailroad  depot  in  Eock  Island 
is  situated  along  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Mississippi  where  there  is 
hardly  any  overburden.  The  output  does  not  contain  such  a  large 
amount  of  clay. 

The  Davis  quarry  is  situated  along  Eock  Eiver,  about  3  miles  south 
of  Eock  Island.  This  quarry  is  temporarily  used  in  order  to  deepen 
the  river  to  obtain  a  larger  flow  of  water  for  the  power  plant,  in  course 
of  construction.  Most  of  the  crushed  rock  obtained  will  be  used  in 
constructing  company  buildings. 


UDDEN  AND  TODD]      STEUCTUEAL  MATEEIALS  IN  ILLINOIS.  389 

Probably  the  largest  quarry  in  operation  at  the  present  time  is  the 
one  near  Buffalo,  Iowa.  The  rock  is  of  the  same  quality  as  that  obtained 
in  Eock  Island  and  Moline. 

At  Le  Claire,  crushed  rock  is  obtained  from  the  magnesian  limestone. 
Some  contractors  prefer  this  to  the  rock  quarried  in  Moline,  Eock 
Island,   and   Buffalo. 

All  of  the  quarries  are  equipped  with  Gates  crushers  and  rotary 
screens 'for  obtaining  crushed  rock  of  any  size  between  %' and  2% 
inches.  The  price  of  this  rock  a.t  the  quarries  averages  80  cents  a  ton. 
All  of  the  quarries  have  good  shipping  facilities.  Most  of  the  product 
is  shipped  over  the  Eock  Island  and  Burlington  railroads. 

Clay  Products. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Eock  Island  and  Moline  there  are  nine  clay  plants 
in  operation.  The  output  of  these  various  concerns  includes  common 
and  face  brick,  fire  brick  for  linings,  sidewalk  tile,  and  drain  tile.  The 
plants  operating  in  Eock  Island  and  Moline  are  enumerated  below: 

Office. 


Black  Hawk  Clay  Mfg.  Co. 

Hans  Paulsen 

OlafE  Atkinson 

B.  &H.  Redecker 

O.  H.  Richmond 

Argillo  Works 

Meersmann  Bros 

August  Karstens 

Oscar  D.  Abraham  &  Son. 


Davenport,  Iowa 
Rock  Island,  111. . 
Rock  Island,  III.. 
Rock  Island,  111.. 
Rock  Island,  111.. 
Rock  Island,  111.. 

Moline,  111 

Moline,  111 

Moline,  111 


Common  hrick. — Hans  Paulsen,  Olaff  Atkinson,  Meersmann  Bros., 
August  Karstens,  and  Oscar  D.  Abraham  &  Son,  make  a  common 
building  brick  from  the  loess,  by  the  soft-mud  process,  and  B.  &  H. 
Eedecker  and  Gr.  H.  Eichmond  make  a  hand-mold  brick  from  the  same 
material.  The  loess  is  generally  present  over  a  wide  area,  and  ranges 
in  thickness  from  15  to  70  feet.  In  places  it  is  so  sandy  that  it  requires 
mixirig  with  yellow  clay  free  from  sand.  Soft-mud  machines  with 
pugging  attachment  and  4  and  6  molds  are  generally  used.  The  raw 
hricks  are  all  dried  in  open  sheds  and  burned  in  up-draft  kilns,  known 
as  "Dutch  kiln."  The  kilns  are  fired  with  both  wood  and  coal  for  a 
period  ranging  from  9  to  14  days.  In  some  of  the  plants  red  ochre 
is  added  to  color  the  brick  dark  red.  From  this  the  bricks  vary  to 
salmon  color.  Hardly  any  of  the  brick  is  exported,  nearly  all  being 
used  in  the  Tri-Cities,  at  a  price  averaging  about  $6.00  per  M. 

Face  hrich. — A  dry-pressed  face  brick  is  made  by  the  Black  Hawk 
Clay  Co.,  from  a  shale  of  Pennsylvanian  age.  The  shale  varies  in 
thickness  from  20  to  50  feet.  It  is  obtained  from  a  clay  pit,  about  400 
feet  long,  by  means  of  a  steam  shovel,  and  is  then  hauled  to  the  plant 
in  dump-cars.  It  is  pulverized  in  a  dry  pan  and  elevated  to  a  screen, 
and   then   run   into   a   Boyd,   six-mold,    dry-press   machine.      The   raw 


390  YEAR-BOOK   FOR    1909.  [bull.  no.  16 

bricks  are  burned  in  8  round,  and  2  square,  down-draft  kilns,  each 
kind  having  a  capacity  of  75,000  and  50,000  bricks.  The  kihis  ai*e 
connected  so  that  the  waste  heat  from  completed  kilns  is  used  for 
drying  the  unburned  bricks.  Burning  usually  requires  from  7  to  14 
days,  depending  on  the  quality  of  the  brick  desired-.  Fancy  colored, 
flashed,  and  mottled  bricks  are  manufactured  besides  the  plain  buff 
and  red  varieties.  Manganese  is  used  in  making  the  mottled  bricks. 
The  output  may  be  shipped  over  all  roads  entering  Moline  and  Kock 
Island.  At  present  it  is  sold  principally  in  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul, 
Duluth,  Milwaukee,  and  also  points  in  Iowa  and  Illinois.  The  price 
of  the  face  brick  varies  according  to  shades,  between  $14.00  and  $18.00 
a  thousand  f .o.b.  plant.  A  great  deal  of  this  brick  has  been  used  for 
interior  finish  at  Iowa  University,  and  for  public  buildings  in  Minne- 
apolis and  St.  Paul. 

Tile. — The  Argillo  Works  at  Carbon  Cliff  manufacture  drain  tile,  fire 
brick,  and  sidewalk  tile  from  a  shale  of  Pennsylvanian  age.  Drain  tile  is 
the  principal  product,  practically  all  sizes  between  3  and  24  inches  are 
made.  The  price  varies  from  $10.50  for  the  smaller  sizes,  to  $450.00 
for  the  24-inch  tile.  Fire  brick  is  made  by  stiff-mud,  dry-press  and 
hand-mold  processes.  The  prices  by  the  three  processes  are,  respectively, 
$12.50,  $13.50,  and  $14.50  per  thousand.  A  sidewalk  tile,  10  inches 
square,  is  also  made  from  the  same  material  and  sells  at  $35.00  a 
thousand. 

Materials  for  Mortar  axd  Plaster. 

Lime. — No  lime  is  at  present  made  in  the  Tri-Cities  though  the 
Devonian  limestones  were  formerly  burned  in  small  local  kilns.  A 
-great  deal  of  the  lime  used  is  manufactured  at  Port  Byron,  from  a 
magnesian  limestone  of  Silurian  age,  by  the  Port  Byron  Lime  i^ssocia- 
tion,  who  have  offices  in  Rock  Island. 


391 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS. 

A  portion  of  each  edition  of  the  Bulletins  of  the  State  Geological 
Survey  is  set  aside  for  gratuitous  distribution.  To  meet  the  wants  of 
libraries  and  individuals  not  reached  in  this  first  distribution,  500  copies 
are  in  each  ca^e  reserved  for  sale  at  cost,  including  postage.  The  reports 
may  be  obtained  upon  application  to  the  State  Geological  Survey,  Ur- 
bana,  Illinois,  and  checks  and  money  orders  should  be  made  payable  to 
F.  W.  DeWolf,  Urbana. 

Bulletins. 

Bulletin  1.  The  Geological  Map  of  Illinois,  by  Stuart  Weller. 
(Edition  Exhausted.) 

Bulletin  2.  The  Petroleum  Industry  of  Southeastern  Illinois^  by  W. 
S.  Blatchley.      (Edition  Exhausted.) 

Bulletin  3.  Composition  and  Character  of  Illinois  Coals,  by  S.  W. 
Parr;  with  chapters  on  the  Distribution  of  the  Coal  Beds  of  the  State, 
by  A.  Bement,  and  Tests  of  Illinois  Coals  under  Steam  Boilers,  by  L.  P. 
Breckenridge.  A  preliminary  report  of  86  pages.  Gratuitous  edition 
exhausted.     Sale  price  25  cents. 

Bulletin  Jf.  Year  hook  of  1906,  by  H.  Foster  Bain,  director  and  others. 
Includes  papers  on  the  topographic  survey,  on  Illinois  fire  clays,  on  lime- 
stones for  fertilizers,  on  silica  deposits,  on  coal,  and  on  regions  near  East 
St.  Louis,  Springfield  and  in  Southern  Calhoun  county.  260  pages. 
Gratuitous  edition  exhausted.     Sale  price  35  cents. 

Bulletin  5.  Water  Resources  of  the  East  St.  Louis  District,  by  Isaiah 
Bowman,  assisted  by  Chester  Albert  Eeeds.  Includes  a  discussion  of  the 
topographic,  geologic  and  economic  conditions  controlling  the  supply  of 
water  for  municipal  and  industrial  purposes,  with  map  and  numerous 
well  records  and  analyses.    Postage  6  cents. 

Bulletin  6.  The  Geological  Map  of  Illinois,  by  Stuart  Weller.  Second 
edition.  Includes  a  folded  colored  geological  map  of  the  State  on  the 
scale  of  12  miles  to  the  inch,  with  descriptive  text  of  32  pages.  It  in- 
cludes corrections  and  additions  to  the  former  map  and  text  and  shows 
locations  of  mines  where  coal,  lead,  zinc  and  flour  spar  are  produced.  The 
great  oil  fields  of  southeastern  Illinois  are  also  outlined.  Gratuitous 
edition  exhausted.     Sale  price  Jf5  cents. 

Bulletin  7.  Physical  Geography  of  the  Evanston-WauTcegan  Region, 
by  Wallace  W.  Atwood  and  James  Walter  Goldthwait.    Forming  the  first 


392 

of  the  educational  bulletins  of  the  Survey  and  designed  especially  to  meet 
the  needs  of  teachers  in  the  public  schools.  102  pages.  Gratuitous  edi- 
tion exhausted.     Sale  price  25  cents. 

Bulletin  8.  Year  Book  for  1907,  by  H.  Foster  Bain,  director,  and 
others.  Includes  administrative  report;  papers  on  the  general  geology 
and  mineral  production  of  the  State;  a  directory  of  the  clay  industries; 
reports  on  stream  improvement,  land  reclamation  and  topographic  map- 
ping; on  field  and  laboratory  studies  of  coal;  cement  materials,  oil,  gas, 
lead,  zinc  and  silica.  393  pages.  Gratuitous  edition  exhausted.  Price 
SO  cents. 

Bulletin  9.  Paving  Brick  and  Paving  Brick  Clays  of  Illinois:  Geol- 
ogy of  Clays,  Geological  Distribution  of  Paving  Brick  Materials  in 
Illinois,  and  Clays  Tested  Which  are  Suitable  for  Use  in  the  Manufac- 
ture of  Paving  Brick,  by  C.  W.  Eolfe;  Qualities  of  Clays  Suitable  for 
Making  Paving  Brick,  Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Paving  Brick 
Clays,  and  Pyro-Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Paving  Brick 
Clays,  by  Eoss  C.  Purdy;  Qualities  of  High  Grade  Paving  Brick  and 
Tests  Used  in  Determining  Them,  by  A.  N.  Talbot;  Construction  and 
Care  of  Brick  Pavements,  by  Ira  0.  Baker.  315  pages,  3  plates,  and  33 
figures.  Postage  13  cents. 

Bulletin  10.  Mineral  Content  of  Illinois  Waters:  Analysis  of  Waters 
from  Various  Parts  of  the  State.  Classification  of  waters  according  to 
physical  and  chemical  properties  by  Edward  J.  Bartow.  Geological 
Classification  of  Waters  of  Illinois,  by  J.  A.  Udden.  Boiler  Waters,  by 
S.  W.  Parr.  Medicinal  Springs  of  Illinois,  by  Dr.  George  Thomas 
Palmer.     Postage  7  cents. 

Bulletin  11.  The  Physicad  Features  of  the  Des  Plaines  Valley,  by 
James  Walter  Goldthwait.  Geography  and  History  of  the  Des  Plaines 
Valley.  Structure  of  Bed  Rock.  Deposition  of  Paleozoic  Sediments. 
Glacial  and  Inter-Glacial  Deposits.  Physiographic  History  of  the  Up- 
per Des  Plaines  River.  Floods  on  the  Des  Plaines  River.  103  pages, 
9  plates,  21  figures.    Postage  6  cents. 

Bulletin  12.  Physiography  of  the  8t.  Louis  Area,  by  N.  M.  Fenne- 
man.  An  educational  bulletin  describing  the  physiographic  and  geologic 
features  of  the  region  and  including  a  colored  geological  map  of  the 
area.  This  is  especially  designed  to  meet  the  needs  of  teachers  in  the 
public  schools.     81  pages,  18  plates,  10  figures.    Postage  6  cents. 

Bulletin  13.  The  Mississippi  Valley  between  Savanna  and  Davenport, 
by  J.  Ernest  Carman.  A  popular,  yet  scientific  treatment  of  the  physio- 
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8  cents. 

Bulletin  IJf.  Year  Booh  for  1908,  by  H.  Foster  Bain,  director,  and 
others.  Including  administrative  report;  report  of  the  topographic 
survey  of  Illinois;  studies  of  Illinois  coals;  coal  deposits  and  possible 
oil  field  near  Duquoin;  papers  on  artificial  silicates  with  reference  to 
amorphous  silica;  natural  gas  in  glacial  drift,  Champaign  County; 
paleobotanical  work;  proceedings  of  Illinois  Fuel  Conference.  394 
pages,  5  plates,  5  figures.    Postage  13  cents. 


393 

Bulletin  15.  Geography  of  the  Middle  Illinois  Valley,  by  Harlan 
H.  Barrows.  An  educational  bulletin  describing  the  physiography, 
geology,  and,  especially,  the  history  of  settlement  and  industrial  develop- 
ment of  the  Peoria-Hennepin  region.  Of  particular  interest  is  the 
discussion  of  the  Illinois-Michigan  canal,  the  Hennepin  canal,  and  of 
the  Deep  Waterway  movement.  128  pages,  16  plates,  47  figures. 
Postage  8  cents. 

Bulletin  16.  Year  Booh  for  1909,  by  F.  W.  De  Wolf,  Acting  Director, 
and  others.  Contains  numerous  papers  on  the  work  of  the  Survey. 
393  pages,  37  plates,  9  figures.    Postage    • 

Topographic  Maps. 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows  the  areas  for  which  topographic 
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remitting  5  cents  for  each  copy. 

As  the  maps  do  not  conform  to  county  lines  those  desired  should  be 
ordered  by  name. 

Available  Separates. 

From  Bulletin  8. 

8c.     Artesian  Wells  in  Peoria  and  Vicinity,  by  J.  A.  Udden.    20  pages, 

1  plate,  1  figure.    Postage  2  cents. 

8d.  Cement  Making  Materials  in  the  Vicinity  of  LaSalle,  by  Gilbert 
H.  Cady;  together  with.  Concrete  Materials  produced  in  the  Chicago 
District,  by  Ernest  P.  Burchard,  a  reprint  from  IJ.  S.  Geological  Survey, 
Bulletin  340.     33  pages,  1  plate,  1  figure.     Postage  2  cents. 

8f.  Clay  Industries  of  Illinois,  Statistics  and  Directory,  by  Edwin 
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ern Illinois,  by  T.  K.  Ernest.    ,14  pages.     Postage  2  cents. 

8g.  Milhrig  Sheet  of  the  Lead  and  Zine  District  of  Northwestern 
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Postage  2  cents. 

Circulars. 

Circular  No.  1.  The  Mineral  Production  of  Illinois  in  1905.  Pam- 
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Circular  No.  2.  The  Mineral  Production  of  Illinois  in  1906.  Pam- 
phlet, 16  pages,  postage  2  cents. 

Circular  No.  3.    Statistics  of  Illinois  Oil  Production  in  1907.    Folder, 

2  pages,  postage  1  cent. 

Circular  No.  ^.  The  Mineral  Production  of  Illinois  in  1907.  Pam- 
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Circular  No.  5.  The  Mineral  Production  of  Illinois  in  1908.  Pam- 
phlet, 20  pages,  postage  2  cents. 


394 


INDEX. 


Alexander  County,  ^1"^^^^°^! q^""  VoV  330 

'         '  I  (>•> 

outcrops   in    " ^^^ 

work  in   94-, 

Alkali  in  coal  ash...... -^ 

Allegheny  rocks,  age  of -^ '  ^ 

Allison,  oil  prospect  at. 

Alton,  clay  products  at ^|^ 

sand  near  g^g 

stone  at • h  r-r 

American  Bottoms,   wells   on l^^ 

Analyses   of  coal. ^.  , 

of  Illinois   coals • •   ^^.q 

of  coals  from  Murphysboro  area  293 

Analysis  of  coal,   explained -J-" 

Anticline  at,  in,  or  near—  ^^^ 

Ashley    ^c) 

Aviston    f,Y 

Belleville  gg 

Carlyle   ^9^ 

Centralia    ^gg 

Dut»ois    -pV   J 9Q 

Duquoin    ^^'   ^^^ 

Eldorado   gy 

Equality    gg 

S?"sa,ie- •;.•.•.•.•.•.■.•.•.•.■.•■.•.■.■.••.••.««■.  165 

Marissa    gg 

Mascoutah    •• . '  - 

•      Monroe   County    |"^ 

Mulkeytown     i' 

Nashville    \^ 

Niantic     t>Q 

O'Fallon     -°; 

Pike  County   ^l^ 

Pittsfield   ]l- 

Sadorus   |^5 

Tamaroa   :j?^ 

Tilden  ii^ 

Tuscola    

Apple   River."  described. •  •  •  •  •     26 

Area  of  Illinois  "Coal  Measures    ....   183 

Ash.   fusibihty  of   ^*j!- 

in  coal  • -. ■ f;Yl 

in  coals,  composition  of    -j-^- 

Ashley,  antichne  near   l^y 

"terrace"  near  • »' 

Ashley,  George  H..  work  of. 180 

Assumption,   coal  at   JS^ 

Ava.  Coal  No.  2  at -»- 

Aviston,  anticline  at •  •     ^^ 

oil  prospect    • »"'   'I 

Pottsville  rocks  at  :     o5 


Baker,  I.   O.,   work  of -1 

Bandli,  E.  M.,  work  of 13 

Barrett,  R.  S.,  acknowledgment  to..     32 

Barrows,  H.  H.,  work  of 12,  IS 

Bartow,   Edward,   work   of 12,  21 

Beardstown   well  record 115 

Beaucoup,    "terrace"   near 98 

'Belleville  anticline   97 

clay  products  at 348 

concrete  materials 348 

gas  prospect  near 90 

Natural  Gas  Company's  well 90 

Belvidere,    clay   products   at 35G 

limestone  near   351 

sand  and  gravel  near       353 

Bement,   A.,   work  of 178 

Benton,  bench  mark  east  of 259 

drill   records    l^-^ 

structure  near I'O 

Benoist  sand,   age  of 8fi 

dip  of  143 

discovery  of 1^^ 

in  section  A-A  89 

locally  absent  1^9 

of  C-C  section Ill 

position  of   87 

"Big  Lime,"  age  of,  position  of... 86,  109 

Big  Muddy  coal  field    202 

River,   of  West  Frankfort  quad- 
rangle     246 

River,  maps  of 20 

Bishop  Hill.  Trenton  limestone  at...  163 

Blatchley,  R.   S..  work  of 12,  42 

Bleininger,  A.  V.,  work  of '^^'.zl 

Bond   County   oil   prospects 173 

Boyd,  well  near • 174 

Bradford,   Trenton  limestone  at IbS 

Breese,    structure    near 139 

Bridgeport   sands    49 

age   of    2i 

in  section  A-A  SS 

Brimfield.   Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Brownstown,   structure  near,  terrace 

at    140,  146 

Brueing  &  Sossong  oil  prospect 80 

Bryden,   Coal  No.    2   at 292 

Buchanan   sand    49 

age  of    80 

Buda,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Burchard.   E.   F.,  work  of 12,  17 

Bureau  County,  work  in 19 

B.   t.   u.,   defined    211 


395 
Index— Continued. 


Cady,  G.  H.,  acknowledgment  to....     47 

work   of    12,   244 

Calorific  value  of  coal 210 

Cambrian    deposits    28 

Campbell,   M.   R.,    quoted 189 

Carbon   dioxide   in   coal   ash 241 

Carlinville   gas   area    50,  157 

limestone     of     West     Frankfort 

quadrangle  252 

Carljie,  anticline  at    89 

"Coal  Measures"  at    84 

Coal  No.  6  at  87 

oil    prospect    near    72 

Pottsville  rocks   at    85 

Carman,  J.  Ernest,  work  of 17 

Carmi,  oil  prospect  at 50 

well  near    176 

Carothers,  G.  E.,  wor-k  of 12 

Carthage  limestone  of  West  Frank- 
fort   quadrangle    252 

Casey,   prospecting  near    47,  48 

sand,   age  of,   position   of 138,  63 

Caseyville,  coal  near  68 

Cass   County,   structure  near 162 

well   record    115 

Centralia    anticline    129 

oil  discovery   50 

oil  field    130 

County,  coal  field   201 

Cerro  Gordo,   oil  prospect  near 121 

structure  near 127,  129 

Champaign  County,  coal  prospect  in 

122,  123 

La  Salle  anticline  in 50 

oil  prospect   50 

Channahon    limestone    334 

Chester  formations,  Coulterville   ....   153 

Dix    ..114 

Duquoin     102 

Marion   County    139 

O'Fallon 85 

Sparta    153 

characterized    85 

distribution   of   66 

locally  absent  129 

of  section  A-A    89 

of   section   C-C    Ill 

of  section   E-E    126 

Chester  lime,   position  of 87 

red  shale,  position  of  87 

sands,    description   of 64 

Chicago  Heights,  clay  products  at...   357 

.  structural  materials  at   357 

Chlorine   in   ash   of  coal '. .   241 

Christian    County    coal   field 200 

coal  in  187 

variable  coal  of 187 

Christopher,  bench  mark  at 259 

Cincinnati  group  305 

Claremont,   '.'Coal  Measure"  at 84 

oil  prospect   82 

Clark   County,    prospecting   in 47 

Clay  Couoity  oil  prospect   80 

Clear  Creek  limestone   305 

Clinton   County,   coal  field 201 

Coal    ." 210 

ash   in    ][   210 

at  Assumption    187 

Liovington   187 


Mattoon   i87 

Pana   i87 

calorific  value   of    211 

composition    of 203 

distribution   of,   in   Illinois ..'.   185 

exhaustion   of  199 

fixed  carbon  in    ]   224 

heat  values  of   .' .'  ]   222 

in  Christian   County 187 

Coles   County 187 

Crawford  County .[     187 

Moultrie    County    187 

Saline   County    186 

physical    character    of    197 

preparation  of   195 

production   of    '.'iV^  182 

by  counties   '.  '  193 

for  1909    ; ;  ■   186 

quality   of 194 

sampling  of   '.'.".'204'   206 

thickness   of    '  i89 

volatile  matter  of 904 

Coal  analyses    \iqq    032 

by   counties   ..'.*.'.'       '  014 

kinds   of    o^q 

of  Murphysboro  area    .' .' 093 

Coal   ash,    alkah   in ' ' '   oiq 

carbon  dioxide  in  941 

chlorine  in   942 

composition    of    .'.'.'.' .' .' .'.'.'""   042 

ferrous  carbonate  in   ...    941 

fusibility  of  944 

Coal  beds,   enumerated 185 

order   of    9X7 

regularity  of  '.'.'.'.'.'.'.   187 

Coal  centers,  migration  of  ... ,         '     199 

Coal  fields  of  Illinois  .' ' '   i82 

competition    of    '   192 

"Coal  Measure,"   area   in  Illinois..!.   183 

at    Carlyle    84 

Claremont .'     84 

luka    ' '     84 

Odin . . .  .     84 

O'Fallon . .  .  .     84 

Olney    '[''     84 

Sailor   Springs 84 

'Salem    84 

Sumner    '     84 

Trenton     .'..'.'.'.'.'     84 

of  A-A   section    []     84 

E-E   section    125 

West   Frankfort   quadrangle.    251 

sub-divisions    of    179 

summary   of    [[[   128 

thickness  of 187 

Coal  mines,   gas  in    185 

moisture  in   207 

of  Murphysboro   quadrangle 294 

Coal  No.  1,  age  of 129,  180 

at  Assumption  187 

described    197 

Coal  No.  2,  age  of 179,  180 

at  Assumption  187 

Ava    292 

Bryden   292 

Matthews    292 

Mattoon 187 

Oraville    292 

Sato    292 

depth  of    189 

described    187,  197 


396 
Index — Continued. 


of  Murphysboro  quadrangle.  .292,  293 

Coal  No.  5,  depth  of  189 

described    197 

of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle...  252 

Coal  No.  6,  age  9f 179,  180 

as  key-rock  .' 46 

at  Belleville    97 

Carlyle   87 

De    Soto    292 

Elkville    292 

Hallidayboro    292 

Odin    88 

Olney    88 

Salem     88 

Sandoval   87 

Shattuc    87 

T^Tiiiisville     292 

depth  of   , 189 

described   187,  198 

dip  of  114 

in   Southern  Illinois    7,  85 

of  "West  Frankfort  quadrangle. . . .  252 

position    of    87 

Coal  No.  7,   age  of    179,  180 

depth    of    189 

described    198 

Cobden,    dip    near    163 

oil   prospect   at    50 

well  record  near   164 

Coke,    manufacture   of   at   Murphys- 
boro     293 

Colchester,    gas    at    50,  60 

Coles   County,   coal  in    187 

prospective  territory  in   166 

Colmar,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Coulterville,   dip  at   156 

oil   prospect    50,  100 

oil  test,  log  of   149 

syncline   at    110 

Cox,  G.  H.,  work  of  12,  17 

Crab  Orchard  Creek,  section  along..   272 

Crawford  County,   coal  in    187 

prospecting  in    48 

Cypress  sandstone  described    64 

D 

Danville,  clay  products  at 361 

sand  and  gravel  near 359 

Decatur,  Chester  sands  absent 129 

oil  prospect  at   50 

Delafield   Coal   Company  prospect...     93 

structure  near   98 

Denver,    Trenton   limestone   at 163 

Department    of    Applied    Chemistry, 

cooperation    with    178 

De  Puy,  J.,   work  of   13 

Deuchler,   W.   E.,   work   of 12,  17 

De  Soto,  Coal  No.  6,  at   292 

DeWolf,  F.  W.,  work  of...- 12,262 

Dip  near  or  at  Cobden 163 

Coulterville  156 

Schuline  155 

Thebes  163 

Tilden   -...   156 

Dips  of  St.  Peter  sandstone   110 

Dips  of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle.   253 

Dix,   oil  prospect  near 113 

Dixon,   structural  materials  at 363 

Donnelly,  L.  G.,  work  of 12,  18 

Douglas  County  coal  prospect 166 

prospective    territory    166 


Douglas,   Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Drainage  section,  report  of 20 

Drift,  gas  in 50 

of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle..  251 

Driftless  Area    27 

Drivers,  well  near 174 

Dubois,   anticline  near 169 

Duncanville  oil  district   49 

Duquoin   anticline,   course   of 129 

effect   of    18S 

position  of 66 

Duquoin,  coal  field  at 201 

deep  well  near 102 

oil  prospect  at 50 

geology  at    169 

Pottsville,  formations  at  or  near.  .109,129 

salt  water  at 103 

structure  near 110 

E 

East  St.  Louis,   oil  prospect  near....   68 

Edgar  County,  oil  prospect 124 

Edgewood  formation  331 

Educational  bulletins,  progress  of...     17 

Edwards  County,  structure  in 66,129 

work  in    19 

Effingham,   structure  near 172 

Eldorado,  anticline  near 98 

oil  near   170 

oil  prospect  at  50 

quadrangle,  oil  territory  in 171 

Elizabeth,    surveys   at 24 

Elkville,  Coal  No.  6  at 292 

Elmwood,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Ellis,   A.    J.,    work   of 12 

Elhs,    J.    R.,   work   of 13 

Elvaston,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Embarrass  River,   study  of 20 

Engineering     Department,     coopera- 
tion  with    178 

Experiment      Station,      coopera- 
tion  with    13 

Equality,   anticline  near 97 

Coal  No.   6  near 97 

Evans,  R.  T.,  work  of  13 

Everson  Oil  Co.,  oil  prospect 82 

Expenditures  22 

F 

Fairview,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Faults  in  coal  fields 188 

Marion   County    144 

oil  field    145 

West   Frankfort  quadrangle 253 

Fayette   County  oil   prospects 172 

Fenneman,  N.  M.,  work  of 17 

Fernvale  limestone   315 

Ferrous   carbonate   in   ash   of  coal..  241 

Fixed  Carbon  in  coal 224 

Flat  Rock  oil  district 49 

Fletcher,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Floods     of    West    Frankfort     quad- 
rangle       247 

Fluviatile   deposits   of  West   Frank- 
fort   quadrangle    249 

Franklin   County  coal  field   202 

coal    in    198 

Diamond  drill  core  from    300 

gas  in  mines    185 

structure   in    253 

Freeport,  anticline  at  66 


397 
Index — Continued . 


Friendsville,    well   near 176 

Fulton   County  coal  field 201 

coal  in   197 

faults  in 188 

work  in  20 


Galatia  quadrangle,  oil  territory  in..  171 

Gale,    limestone   west    of 313 

Galena,  area,  map  and  survey  of..  17,  25 

formation  of  Elizabeth  area 28 

limestone,    distribution   of    66 

Gallatin  County  oil  prospects 174 

Gas  at  Carlinville   50.  157 

Champaign     50,  60 

Colchester     50,  60 

Princeton 50,  60 

Shipman    176 

Sparta    147 

TVapella     50 

field   in   Pike   County 164 

from   St.    Louis   limestone 176 

in   coal   mines    185 

in  drift  deposits   50 

in  Macoupin  County  50 

near    Greenville    173 

near  Jacksonville 173 

occurrence   of    59,  60,  61 

Geology  of  gas   occurrence 59 

of  Marion   County    130 

of  oil   occurrence    59 

Girardeau  limestone  327 

correlation  of  330 

Goldthwait.  James  "Walter,  work  of.     17 

Grafton,  oil  prospect  at   50 

well  near   175 

Grape   Creek  coal   field 200 


H 


Hallidayboro,  Coal  No,  6  at 292 

Hamilton   County  coal  prospect 93 

structure    in 66,  129 

Hancock  County,  work  in 20 

Hard-pan  of  West  Frankfort  quad- 
rangle       251 

Highland,    well  at    175 

Heating  value  for  various  coals.. 197,  222 

Herrick,  oil  prospect  at  or  near..  150,  172 

Herrin  quadrangle,  oil  territory  in.,  171 

Herron,  W.  H,  work  of 12,  18 

Hillsboro,    structural   materials 371 

Hoffman.   George  R.,   work  of 13 

Hoblitzell.    prospecting   by 49,  50 

Holts   Station,   oil  near 169 

Honey   Creek   oil   district 49 

Hutton,  J.   G.,  work  of 12 


I 

Illinois   Bureau    of   Labor   Statistics, 

acknowledgment    to    268 

Illinois  coal,   composition  of 203 

quality  of  194 

Illinois  coal  field  182 

Illinois,    geological    structure   of 66 

Illinois  oil  resources   42 

lola,  oil  prospect  at   . : 50 

Industry,  Trenton  limestone  at 163 


Internal    Improvement    Commission, 

cooperation   with 13 

work  of 20 

luka,  anticline  at  89 

"Coal  Measures"  at   84 

oil  prospect  at    50,  78,  79 

Ivesdale,   oil  prospect  near 122 


J 

Jackson  County,  coal  field  202 

limestone  in    305 

topographic  work  in   287 

Jacksonville,   gas  area  near 173 

Jefferson  County,  oil  prospect. .  .113,  174 

Jenkins,  B.  A,,  work  of   12 

Jennings   Producing  Company  pros- 
pect    83 

Jersey  County;  oil  prospects 175 

Jerseyville,   oil  prospect  in 50 

Trenton  limestone  at  175 

Jessup,   J,  M.,   work  of 14 

Jo  Daviess  County,  work  in 19,  25 


K 

Kane,   oil  prospect  at. 50 

Kappa,   Trenton   limestone   at 163 

Kaskaskia  River,   maps   of 20 

Kelly  and  Finn  oil  prospect 78,  79 

Kirkwood   sand    49 

age  of    |6 

position  of  87 

in  section  A-A  88,  89 

on  section  C-C    m 

locally   absent    129 

Kimmswick  limestone   309 

detailed  section  of  310 


La  Rose,  Trenton  limestone  at 103 

La   Salle    anticline,   course   of 188 

described    66,  165 

of  E-E   section    128 

in  Champaign  County   50 

influence    of    58 

La  Salle  County,  anticline  in 165 

coal  in   19S 

work  in  19 

La  Salle  formation,   described. .  .180,  271 

structure  at    66 

structural    materials   at    375 

Lawrence  County,   oil  in    •  •  49 

oil  prospect • 82,  83,  84 

work   in    1^ 

Lead  mining  in  the  Elizabeth  area..  31 

Lead    production    26 

Lead,   prospecting  for    39 

Lead  and  zinc,   distribution  of 25 

investigations    of    17 

Levees,    natural    248 

Limestone,   Channahon    334 

Fernvale    315 

Girardeau   330 

Kimmswick 309 

Limestone,    in   Alexander   County...  305 

Jackson    County    305 

Union  County 305 


398 
Index — Continued , 


Lincoln,  clay  products  at 379 

sand  and  gravel  near   378 

Lindgren,    J.    M.,    work  of    12 

Lindley  sand,  age  of    86 

Lines,   E.   F.,   work  of   14 

Litchfield,   prospecting  near    47 

structural  materials  at   371 

Little  Wabash  River,  maps  of 20 

Livingston,    structure  near    162 

Lloyd.  W.  J.,  work  of  13 

Logan  County,  work  in   19 

Long-wall    mines    188,  189 

Lovington,    coal   at    187 

structure  at  or  near 66,  129,  172 

Lower   "Coal    Measures,"    defined    ..   179 
Lower  Magnesian  formation  of  Eliz- 
abeth   area    28 

Lower   Paleozoic   strata    308 

M 

Macon,  oil  prospect  at   119 

Macoupin  County,  coal  field   200 

oil  prospects   176 

gas   in    50 

Madison  County,   coal  field    201 

oil    prospects    175 

variable   coal   of    187 

Maquoketa    shale    in    the    Elizabeth 

area     30 

Maple  Oil  and  Gas  Co.  well 84 

Marietta,    Trenton   hmestone   at 163 

Marissa,   anticline  at    110 

oil    at     109 

oil   prospect   at    50 

Marion  County,  coal  field  of 201 

geology    of    130 

oil  field  of,   described    130,  140 

oil   in    50 

oil  sand,   position  of   63 

fault   in 145 

Marshall  County,   coal  in    198 

Marshall,   oil  prospect  at 50 

Mascoutah,    anticline    near 98 

oil   prospect   at    50 

St.   Peter  sandstone  at 86 

structure    at     97 

well    at    91 

Mathias   oil   prospect    82 

Matthews,   Coal  No.   2  at 292 

Mattoon,  coal  at  187 

Maquoketa    formation    of    Elizabeth 

area    23 

Mattoon,    structural    materials    at...   380 

McBeth,   J.   P.,    work   of    12 

McClosky   sand 49 

McClurkin   well,   log   of    150 

McDonough  County,  work  in   20 

McLean    Countv,    structure   near 162 

McLeansboro   formation    181,  271,  274 

McNabb,  Trenton  limestone  at   163 

Medora,   gas  at    176 

Menard   County,    coal   field    200 

Mercer   County,    work   in    20 

Mine  Rescue  Service,  work  of... 179,  295 
Mineral    statistics,    collection   of.....     18 

Mines,    depth   of    188 

Mining   in    Illinois    183 

methods    of    188,   283 

of   lead    and    zinc    in    the    Eliza- 
beth area   31 

waste  in 188 


Mississippian  formations  at  Duquoin  112 

characterized    85 

of  E-E  section    126 

sands,    extent    of    63 

position  of   63 

Monks   Mound  well,   log  of 68 

St.   Peter  sandstone  at 86 

Monroe    County,    anticline   in 164 

Trenton  rock  in    164 

work    in    19 

Montgomery  County,   coal  field 200 

prospecting  in    47 

variable  coal   of    187 

Morgan   County,   oil  prospects 173 

well    in    116 

Moultrie  County,    coal   in 187 

Mulkeytown,    anticline   near 170 

Murphysboro,  manufacture  of  coke..  293 
Murphysboro  quadrangle,  coal  mines 

of    294 

Coal    No.    2    of 292 

Coal    No.    6    of 292 

description    of    287 

oil  territory  in   171 

Pottsville   coals   of 291 

formations    of    289 

structure   of    290 


N 

Nashville,     anticline     and     "terrace" 

near    97,  169 

Niagara    dolomite    306 

Niagara  formation  of  Elizabeth  area     28 

Niagara  limestone  at  Grafton 175 

oil   in    66,  161.  162 

Niantic,   anticlinal  fold  near 127,  129 

Nickles,   J.    M.,    acknowledgment  to.   147 

Northern  coal  field    199 

North  Henderson,  Trenton  limestone 
at    163 

O 

O'Brien.    Gertrude,    work   of 12 

Odin,    "Coal  Measures"    at    84 

Coal  No.   6  at    87 

shaft   at    ••     7o 

structure    near    139 

"terrace"    at    89 

Ogle   County,    anticline   in 165 

O'Fallon,  Chester  formation  at 85 

Chester  sands  absent  near 129 

"Coal  Measures"  at    84 

"terrace"  at   89 

Oil,    circulation  of    53 

favorable   prospects   for    129 

in   Marion   County    50 

in  Niagara  limestone    161,  162 

in   Trenton  limestone    161,  162 

mode  of  occurrence  of    144 

near    Pinckneyville    169 

occurrence  of    60,  61 

origin  of   <^1 

promising  areas  for    129 

Oil    development,    review   of 47 

Oil  field  in  Marion  County   130 

Randolph   County    146 

Oil   fields,    stratigraphy  of 59 

Oil  occurrence,  theories  of o3 

geology  of    59 


399 
Index — Continued . 


Oil,   prospect  at,   in,   or  near: 

Albion     50 

Aviston     50,  71 

Carlyle     72 

Carmi      50,   176 

Centralia 50 

Champaign    Countv    122 

Cobden     50,  164 

Coulterville    50,   100,   149 

Decatur '    50 

Bix    113 

Duquoin     50 

East    St.    Louis    68 

Edgar   County    124 

Eldorado    •     50 

Friendsville    176 

Grafton 50 

Greenville   50 

Herrick    50 

lola    50 

lulca    50 

Jefferson    County    113 

Jerseyville    50 

Kane     '. 50 

Lawrence    County    82,  83,   84 

Marissa    50 

Marshall    50 

Mascoutah    50 

Olney     50,   81 

Patton    50 

Pinckneyville     50 

St.    Louis    50 

Saline   County    107 

Sidell     124 

Sumner    50 

Thomasboro    50,  167 

Tolono    122 

Trenton    50,   70 

Vandalia    50 

Vermilion    County    124 

Waverly     50,  174 

Oil  resources   of  Illinois    42 

Oil  sands,  extent  of 62 

pre-Carboniferous     161 

Oil  study,   methods   of    46 

Oil  territory  in  Eldorado  quadrangle  171 

Galatia  quadrangle    171 

Herrin  quadrangle   ..w 171 

Murphysboro    quadrangle....    171 
West  Frankfort  quadrangle..    171 

wells   of  Marion   County    140 

at   Sparta    155 

of  Sandoval  area    140 

Olney,   "Coal  Measures"  at   84 

Coal   No.    6   at    87 

oil  prospect  at   50 

structure  near   129 

well   record    81 

Omaha,    well    near     174 

Oneida,   Trenton  limestone  at    163 

Opdyke,   structure  near       98 

Oraville,  Coal  No.  2  at 292 

Orchard    Creek   formation    322 

Ore  deposits  of  Elizabeth  area 36 

Ordovician   deposits   28 

formations    309 

Origin    of    oil    51 

P 

Palmer,    George   T.,    work   of 21 

Pana,   coal  at    187,  201 

Parr,    S.   W.,   work   of 12,  21,'  203 


Parrish,  bench  mark  at    259 

Patton,   oil   prospect  at    50 

Pennsylvanian     formations     at     Du- 
quoin        102 

at    Sparta    153 

extent   of    62 

in   Marion   County    137 

of  E-E   section    125 

of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle..   251 

sub-divisions    of    179 

summary     128 

thickness   of    88 

Peoria   County,    coal   in 197,  201 

faults  in    188 

Perry  County,    coal   in    198,  201 

faults    in    188 

topographic  work  in   287 

work    in     19 

Petersburg   formation   180,  271 

section  of  273 

Piatt   County,   oil   prospect   in 121 

Pike   County,    anticline   in 162 

gas    field    48,  164 

Pillar-and-room    mines     188,  189 

Pinckneyville,    oil   near    169 

oil   prospect   at    50 

structure  near   110 

Pittsfield,   anticline   near 162 

Plattville     formation      of     Elizabeth 

area    28 

Pontiac,    structural   materials    at....   382 

Postel  Milling  Co.,  well   91 

Pottsville      coals      of      Murphysboro 

quadrangle   291 

Pottsville  formation,   or  sands... 180,  271 

age   of    179 

at    Aviston     85 

Carlyle   85 

Dix    114 

Duquoin     109 

Greenville  173 

Omaha     .- 174 

Sparta    109 

extent   of    63 

locally  absent  128 

of  Marion   County    138 

A-A    section    84.  88 

C-C   section  Ill 

E'-E    section    125 

Murphysboro     quadrangle. .  .  .   289 

summary     128 

Potsdam      formation      of      Elizabeth 

area     28 

Powder,    increasing   use   of- 184 

Prairies    of    West    Frankfort    quad- 
rangle         247 

Princeton,   gas  at    50,   60 

Princeton   (Indiana)   oil  sand   85 

Pre-Cambrian    deposits    28 

Pre-glacial    relief.     West    Frankfort 

quadrangle   249 

Princeton    (Indiana),    anticline   at...   166 

Prospecting  for   lead   and   zinc 39 

ProsDective   territory   at   Duquoin...   169 

described   167 

Proximate  analysis  of  coal   210 

Purdy.   R.   C,  woi^k  of   21 

Putnam    County,    work   in 19 

Q 

Quaternary     deposits     of     Elizabeth 
area    28 


400 
Index — Continued . 


Quicksand  of  West  Frankfort  quad- 
rangle      249 

Quincy,   structural  nqaterials  at......  382 

R 

Ramsey,    oil   prospect  near 172 

Randolph  County,  coal  field 201 

gas  in    48 

oil   field    50,  146 

section   in    65 

Richland   County,   structure  in 129 

Randolph,  Robt.  I.,  work  of 20 

Randolph  County,  work  in   19 

Red  rock,  a  key-horizon    139 

in  Marion  County   139 

Red  rock  at  Sparta   154 

Relief     of     West     Frankfort     quad- 
rangle       247 

Renshawe,  J.  H.,  work  of 12 

Reports,  progress  of  21 

Richland  County,  well  record 81 

work   in    19 

Richland,  oil  prospect   82 

Ridgeway,  well  near  174 

Riggs  oil  prospect 73,  76 

Rock  Island,   coal  field   199 

Rock  Island  County,  work  in 20 

Rock  River,  study  of 20 

Rolfe,   C.  W.,  work  of 12,  21 

S 

Sadorus,  anticline  near   128,  165 

Sailor  Springs,  "Coal  Measures"  at..  84 

oil    prospect    80 

St.   Clair  County  coal  field 201 

work  in  19 

St.     Croix,     formation    of    Elizabeth 

area 28 

St.   Elmo,  structure  near   172 

St.  John,  deep  boring  at 270 

salt   well  at    169 

well  102 

St.   Louis,   oil  prospect  at 50 

St.  Peter  formation  of  Elizabeth  area     28 

sandstone   110 

at  Jerseyville   175 

at  Mascoutah  86 

at  Monks  Mound 86 

in  the  Elizabeth  area 29 

Salem,   "Coal  Measures"  at   84 

Coal  No.  6  at  87 

shaft  at  77 

structure  near   139 

Saline  County  coal  field 186,  198,  202 

oil  prospects   107 

Saline    drainage    of  West   Frankfort 

quadrangle     246 

River,  study  of   20 

Salisbury,  R.   D.,  work  of  12,  17 

Salt  water  at  Coulterville   156 

Duquoin    103 

Sparta    156 

in  oil  sands   143 

Salt  well  at  Duquoin   169 

Sand,  defined   59 

Sandoval  area.  Coal  No.  6  at 87 

oil  field   50,  130,  140 

promising  territory  near 145 

structure  near   139 

"terrace"  at   89 

Sangamon   County  coal   field 200 

River,   study  of   20 


Sato,  Coal  No.   2  at   ; 292 

Savage,  T.  E.,  acknowledgment  to. .     47 

work  of  12,  21,  266,  302 

Schuline,   dip  at   155 

Schuyler  County,  work  in 20 

Sexton  Creek  formation   336 

fossils   of    339 

Shattuc,  Coal  No.   6  at 87 

structure    near    140 

Shaw,  E.  W.,  acknowledgment  to...     47 

work  of   12,  178 

Shawneetown,  boring  near   174 

Sheffield,   Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Shelby   County   oil   prospects 172 

Shelbyville,   structure  near   172 

Shipman  gas  well   176 

Shoal  Creek,  maps  of 20 

Sidell  oil  prospect   124 

Silurian  deposits  28 

Skillett  Fork,   maps  of   20 

Smithboro,   anticline  near    173 

Smothers,  bench  mark  at   259 

Smothersville,    bench   mark  at    259 

Snowden  Bros,  oil  prospect 83 

Sparta,  gas  at  48 

oil  at    50 

oil  field 146 

geology   of    146 

stratigraphy  of   153 

structure   of    154 

Pottsville  formation  at 109 

prospective  territory  near   157 

red  rock  at   154 

sand,  age  of   85,  153 

at  Marissa  109 

position  of  154 

thickness   of   156 

section   at 65 

table  of  wells  155 

Spoon  River,  study  of  20 

Springfield,    Chester   formations    ab- 
sent at    126 

coal   district    200 

well  in   117 

Spring  Valley,    structure   near    129 

Steiner  «&  Gibson,  oil  prospect   74 

Stein    sand,    age   of    86,  138 

dip  of 143 

discovery  of    130 

Stephenson  County,  anticline  in  165 

Stratigraphic   intervals    87 

Stratigraphy  of  A-A  section   84 

B-B  section  36 

C-C    section    108 

cross-sections    128 

D-D   section    114 

defined   5» 

E-E   section    125 

oil  fields    59 

pre-Devonian  formations    309 

Stream    gradients    of    West    Frank- 
fort   quadrangle    247 

Structural   materials,   work  on 16 

Structure  of  B-B  section   96 

C-C    section    HO 

D-D   section    114 

E-E    section    127 

Illinois    66,  129 

Marion    County    139 

Murphysboro   quadrangle    290 

southern  Illinois    86 

Sparta    field    154 

West  Frankfort  quadrangle    253 


401 

Index — Continued. 


structure  contours,   use  of   291 

Stull,   R.  T.,  work  of   12 

Sullivan,  structure  near   172 

Sumner,  "Coal  Measures"  at  84 

oil  prospect  at   50 

Surficial    deposits,    West    Frankfort 

quadrangle   248 

Syncline  at  Coulterville    110 


Talbot,  A.  N.,  work  of   21 

Tamaroa,    anticline   near    169 

"Terrace"  at,  or  in, 

Ashley    9^ 

Beaucoup    98 

Brownstown    H6 

Nashville    97 

Odin    89 

Sandoval     89 

Washington   County    98 

Thebes,   dip  near    .•.•  163 

limestone  near   309,  6^1 

sandstone  and  shale    318,  319 

Thomas  oil  prospect   73 

Thomasboro,  oil  prospect  at 50,  167 

Thompsonville,  bench  mark  at 259 

Tilden,  anticline  at   119 

dip   near    156 

Till  of  West  Frankfort  quadrangle..   251 

Todd,  J.  E.,  work  of  17 

Tolono,    anticline    near    128 

oil  prospect    50,  122 

Topographic  maps,  distribution  of...     21 

section,  report  of  18 

Toulon,   Trenton  limestone  at   163 

Tower  Hill,   structure  near   172 

Tracy  sand    49 

Trenton,  boring  near   70 

"Coal  Measures"  at 84 

oil  prospect  at   50 

Trenton    group    306 

Trenton  limestone  at  Beardstown  . .  115 

Bishop  Hill   163 

Bradford     163 

Brimfield  163 

Buda     163 

Colmar  163 

Denver  163 

Douglas   163 

Duquoin    163 

Elmwcod  163 

Elvaston    163 

Fairview    163 

Fletcher    163 

Grafton    175 

Industry    163 

Jerseyville    175 

Kappa    163 

Marietta    163 

McNabb  ,  163 

North  Henderson   163 

Oneida    163 

Sheffield    163 

Toulon    163 

V\rest   Point   163 

Woodford 163 

Wyoming    163 

distribution  of   66 

gas   in    114 

—26  G 


oil   in    161 

structure   of    162 

rocks    306 

in  Monroe  County   164 

Trowbridge,  A.  C,  work  of   12,  18 

Tuscola,   anticline  at 165 

coal   prospect    166 

Tweedy,  Frank,  work  of  12 


Udden,   J.  A.,   work  of   12,  17,  21 

Udden,  Jon,  work  of 47,  179,  268,  300 

Union   County,   limestone  in 305 

outcrops   in    163 

work  in  304 

Unit   coal    211 

U.     S.    Department    of    Agriculture, 

cooperation    with    13,  20 

U.     S.     Geological     Survey,     cooper- 
ation with    13,  20,  178 

University    of    Illinois,    acknowledg- 
ment to  205 

cooperation  with  178 

Experiment  Station,  acknowledg- 
ment   to    205 

"Upper  Coal  Measures,"  defined 179 


Valmeyer,  anticline  near   164 

Vandalia,  oil  prospect  at  50 

near    172 

Vera,  oil  prospect  near  172 

Vermilion  County  coal  field   198,  200 

oil  prospect   124 

Virden  coal  field   201 

Volatile  matter  in  coal 224 


W 

Wabash  County,  oil  prospects 176 

work  in   19 

Wabash  Petroleum  Co.   prospect 106 

Walker,  A.  M.,  work  of   12 

Wapella:,  gas  at   50,  60 

Washington  County  coal  field 201 

"terrace"   in    98 

Waste  in  mining   188 

Water  in  oil  sands  143,  156 

Water,  studies  of  17 

Waverly,  oil  prospect  at   50,  116,  174 

Wayne  County,  structure  in   66,  129 

Webb,  J.  M.,  work  of  13,  178 

Weller,    Stuart,   work  of 12 

Western    Society    of    Engineers,    ac- 
knowledgment to    178 

West  Frankfort,  dip  of  coal   114 

structure   near   170 

quadrangle,  oil  territory  of 171 

prairies  of   247 

relief    of    • 247 

stream  gradients  of 247 

surficial  deposits  of 248 

West  Point,  Trenton  limestone  at...  163 

Wheaton  area,  study  of  18 

White  County,  oil  prospects 176 

structure  in   66,  129 

White,  David,  work  of  179,  289 

White,  I.  C,  quoted   190 


402 
Index — Concluded. 


Williams,  R.  Y.,  work  of   ....13,  178, 

Williamson    County   coal   field 

structure  in 

Willisville,  Coal  No.  6  at  

Wilmington   coal   field    

Windsor,  structure  near  

Wood,  L.  N.,  acknowledgment  to... 
Woodford  County,  structure  near. . . 
Woodford,   Trenton   limestone  at 

295 
262 
253 
292 
197 
172 
300 
162 
163 

Wright,  Douglas,  work  of   16,  17 

Wyoming,   Trenton  limestone  at 163 

Z 

Zinc  mining  in  the  Elizabeth  area..     31 
prospecting  for   . .     39 

Zahniser  Oil  Co.  well 150,  153 

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